International

You or the alleged father live abroad? Where, when and how to file a paternity action?

 

When you file your case in France, parentage is subject to the mother's personal law. In other words, if you are Spanish and want sue the father in France, the courts will apply Spanish law to establish the filiation of your child within the limits of international public policy.

 

In French law, when a child is born out of wedlock, the biological father is not automatically considered to be the father of the child, unless he has made an acknowledgment of paternity.

 

A paternity action can be brought by your lawyer to establish parentage and to obtain a decision about custody and child support.

 

In exceptional cases, it may happen that the mother is not known. A maternity action may then be brought under certain conditions.

 

Your lawyer advises and assists you in all these steps.