Paternity Suit (Noun)
Meaning
A lawsuit filed to determine the father of a child born out of wedlock (and to provide for the support of the child once paternity is determined).
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
Examples
- The young mother filed a paternity suit against her former boyfriend, seeking financial support for their infant daughter.
- The celebrity's alleged mistress threatened to file a paternity suit unless he acknowledged the child as his own.
- After a DNA test confirmed his paternity, the court ordered him to pay child support as part of the paternity suit.
- The woman's lawyer specialized in paternity suits and was determined to win a favorable settlement for her client.
- The paternity suit dragged on for months, causing emotional distress for both the mother and the alleged father.