Paid Child Support for Years, Only to Discover the Child Wasn’t His

Edward and Grace did not share many years of marriagetruly, their union had been ill-fated from the start. They remained together only three years before parting ways, though in that short time they had a daughter. After the separation, Edward, wishing to do what was right by his child, arranged privately with Grace that he would contribute a set sum each month for their daughters upbringing. There was no court-ordered maintenance; it was all agreed upon between themselves, and so this arrangement went on. But only for a while.

I still recall Edwards shock when, some years later, a letter arrived at his old townhouse in Bath. In it was news he never expectedGrace was seeking to have Edwards legal status as father removed. How could such a thing be? Enclosed with the letter was a DNA test, which claimed he was not the father after all. To Edwards disbelief, the true father turned out to be a man with whom Grace had been previously married for several years. Clearly now, it was evident Grace had been unfaithful during her time with Edwardtwo years of duplicity, it seemed, as she went between her former husband and Edward, all while Edward dutifully sent his pounds each month for a daughter that, by blood, was not his.

Edward was, as one would expect, deeply wounded, both in pride and heart. Yet he also felt wrongedhe had spent five years providing for a child he did not father. In England, the law allowed him to recover money paid for a child proven not to be his, given sufficient evidence such as this. And so, Edward took the matter to court, seeking to be repaid for the years of support.

But sometimes, even now, I wonder: did he act rightly?