Unwarranted Paternity Lawsuit: Man Emerges Victorious in Legal Battle
Andrew, a self-employed software developer, was living a wonderful life with his wife and three children. Life as an independent software developer was far better than his previous days as a low-paid employee.
With that in mind, he opened the mail in high spirits. But then came the shock: a former college classmate was suing him for $65,000 in child support for an illegitimate child. Andrew's world was on the verge of shattering.
A Shock in a Perfect World
Until just now, Andrew's life seemed to be running perfectly. Just last month, he had been praised in his church community's weekly bulletin as a shining example of compassion and community spirit.
It had been terribly embarrassing for Andrew because his wife, Clara, and their three children, Sammy, Chris, and Kim, had discussed the article and the photos with the pastor behind his back.
A Church in the Best Sense
Andrew and his family were members of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). The UUA was entirely different from the rigid, often inhumane structures of churches in Germany.
The UUA is a liberal religious community that follows the principles of freedom, reason, and tolerance in faith. In fact, the term "church" should perhaps be omitted when describing it. It is a community that embraces a liberal form of religion.
Living Compassion
While the Catholic and Protestant churches are characterized by power, prohibitions, shame, and the suppression of personal opinions, the UUA places living compassion at the center of all its actions.
The UUA is inclusive and open to everyone, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or origin. Instead of arguing over their differences, UUA members seek common ground.
Joy and Laughter
In Germany, church events such as Sunday services are often marked by reverence and fear. People stand still in their places and sing contemplative songs. This is very different in the UUA.
Here, everyone is allowed to be themselves. Joy and community are at the heart of their collective gatherings. There is laughter and dancing, barbecues and celebrations at summer festivals.
The Root of All Faiths
Nearly all churches in the world preach compassion. However, most confine compassion to people who follow the same faith in every detail, share the same views, and often possess the same skin color and sexual orientation.
Others are quickly deemed unlovable. This leaves people living in constant fear of being cast out.
A Life of Fear
In the United States, many religious communities refuse to endorse a life governed by oppression, fear, shame, and exile. Why live in constant fear? Fear of committing sins. Fear of being cast out.
Fear of an eternal life in hell. For many, this life of fear is tantamount to hell on earth.
Unconditional Compassion
Yet, people in the United States longed for a different path. Instead of relying on prohibitions, damnation, and exile, deeply devout individuals sought a church that was fundamentally human-friendly.
Starting in the 1960s, an increasing number of communities emerged, where love, unity, and support took center stage. These values can be found in all holy scriptures of all religions.
How it All Began
Andrew and Clara had met during the move of a mutual friend back in their student days. Even then, both were lively and helpful individuals. Helping with a move wasn't seen as work for them; rather, it was considered a day spent with friends, a break from studying.
When Andrew and Clara were involved, much was accomplished, and there was a lot of laughter along the way.
A Life Without Faith?
Neither Andrew nor Clara would have described themselves as religious then. Both felt repelled by the Catholic Church of their parents. Rumors of child abuse were already circulating at the time. Embezzlements and tax scandals were also known.
However, it was only whispered about, as the Church still held great power, and newspapers refrained from reporting on such matters.
Wedding in a White Dress
However, there was one thing Clara couldn't let go of. Ever since she was a little girl, she wanted to be a princess and marry a prince. She had seen the pictures of Lady Di and Prince Charles' wedding. That's how she envisioned her own wedding.
After realizing that she had found her prince for life in Andrew, Clara was determined to marry in a flowing, white dress.
The Search for a Church
During their search for a suitable church, the couple quickly realized that they couldn't connect with their parents' churches. Since their college days, their circle of friends had become diverse—a mix of Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, and many people without belief in a specific god.
The rigid "till death do us part" didn't resonate with the deeply in love couple.
A Dream Wedding
Through friends, they learned about the UUA. They attended a Sunday event and were delighted by the cheerful and friendly atmosphere. They had found their wedding venue in this church. Even after the wedding, they remained committed to the UUA.
Both Andrew and Clara enthusiastically participated in church projects, such as running the charity café. It was a place where everyone could enjoy coffee and cake, with only those who could afford it paying.
Duties as Fulfillment
For Andrew and Clara, their involvement in the community was much more than a duty—it brought them joy. They both had well-paying jobs.
Andrew worked as a programmer at a major software company, while Clara was a teacher at a private school and earned some extra money through tutoring. They could afford a large house, which they soon needed after having three children.
A Severe Crisis
When the economic crisis hit, causing major layoffs in all the big corporations, Andrew was also affected by a layoff. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find a new job.
For the first few months, the young family relied on Andrew's severance package, their savings, and nest egg. Clara's salary as a teacher wasn't even enough to cover the mortgage.
Building Connections
Andrew became even more involved in the community. He said he would go crazy sitting at home all day, receiving rejection after rejection in his email inbox.
During a barbecue night in the community garden, Andrew struck up a conversation with a local building materials dealer. The businessman told Andrew about his struggle with the high licensing fees for his inventory software.
Shared Worries
Before the crisis, the licensing fees didn't have a major impact. But now, with the significantly decreased demand, these fixed costs were eating up the building materials dealer's profit every month.
Andrew explained to the businessman how simple it would be to program the necessary software and that he had actually done something similar as a side job during college. The building materials dealer was intrigued.
Finding Solutions Together
The dealer told Andrew that he wasn't alone in facing these worries. He knew many colleagues across the United States who could no longer afford or didn't want to pay for the expensive software from the big corporations, and were desperate for an alternative.
A week later, Andrew had founded his own software company and developed a cost-effective software solution for building material stores. He was now earning even more than all his years as an employee.
Creating Jobs
Andrew never intended to build a corporation. He wanted to keep his company small and manageable. He would pass on orders he didn't have time for to friends and acquaintances who had also lost their jobs during the crisis.
He only had four employees, all of whom were members of the UUA and shared his values and mindset. Andrew was well-liked as a boss because he always addressed problems directly and remained respectful even in disagreements.
A Matter of Time
It was only a matter of time before the community leadership secretly approached Clara and the children. For his 45th birthday, they wanted to thank Andrew for his years of dedication. They planned a grand celebration and wanted to publish an article with a photo in the church newsletter.
Everyone knew how much attention Andrew disliked. That's why they decided to disguise the surprise birthday party as a regular summer barbecue event for the community and prepare the article without his knowledge. They found a snapshot from the family album where Andrew looked particularly happy to use as the photo.
No one anticipated the consequences
The surprise party and the article were a big surprise for Andrew. He was already looking forward to seeing many friends at the barbecue. But the fact that everyone had brought a gift for him moved him to tears.
Unfortunately, a few days later, the joyful atmosphere of the party was shattered by a horrifying letter. His former college classmate was demanding over $65,000 in retroactive child support for an illegitimate child.
The Day the Letter Arrived
After opening and scanning the letter, Andrew had to sit down. He turned pale as it turned his life upside down. A fourth child! Could it be true?
Once he managed to gather himself, he went to Clara's study. She was preparing practice sheets for her tutoring students. Wordlessly – he was literally speechless – he handed her the court document.
(Crisis?)
Clara also didn't know what to say immediately. The relationships they had before they met and got married had never been a topic of conversation.
They both knew that there had been a life before their relationship. However, they had never anticipated that such a relationship from Andrew's past would suddenly disrupt their lives.
No Recollection
The fact that Andrew and Clara could openly communicate helped Andrew jog his memory about his time in college. However, he didn't recognize the name of the mother who was now suing him for support.
Sure, Andrew had his fair share of relationships, but he had been cautious. Everything had to fit, and that included being together with each of his girlfriends for at least a few weeks.
Major Doubts
The court document included a date when Andrew did attend university. Therefore, he couldn't completely rule out the possibility that he had perhaps had a one-night stand with the plaintiff.
However, it didn't seem like him. Both Andrew and Clara had significant doubts about the plaintiff's account. But what should they do? They decided to look for a lawyer and seek advice.
The Lawyer
Finding a good family attorney wasn't easy. It seemed like there were only large law firm conglomerates with hundreds of lawyers. Andrew would just be a number among many in those legal factories.
It took three days for Andrew to find a lawyer he trusted. Unfortunately, she had bad news for Andrew right away. It wouldn't be easy to simply evade the situation.
Credible Accusation
As many fathers refused to acknowledge paternity, there were specific legal procedures in place. If a woman could provide credible evidence of a sexual relationship, the man would have to face a lawsuit.
Andrew and Clara tried to explain to their lawyer that the story was completely unbelievable. Andrew hadn't had a one-night stand during his entire time as a student, let alone with the plaintiff.
In Favor of the Plaintiff
Unfortunately, Andrew's lawyer had bad news. "Credible" was a very subjective term. It was enough if the accusation appeared credible to a judge who didn't know either of the parties involved.
While they would do everything in court to counter the allegations, it would ultimately come down to he said, she said. Given this situation, ordering a paternity test was practically guaranteed. Andrew shouldn't get his hopes up about avoiding the test.
Brief and Painful
The first court hearing was brief and painful. The plaintiff had brought reinforcements in the form of her two sisters and half a dozen friends. When Andrew entered the courtroom, he was booed and alternately called a coward and a deadbeat father.
Andrew had never experienced such cold hatred before. His heart skipped a beat. Clara squeezed his hand tighter and whispered in his ear, "Now we know for sure that it's all made up! You would have never associated yourself with someone like her."
As Feared
It went as feared. The plaintiff rambled about a college party where alcohol was flowing abundantly. She claimed she didn't even feel attracted to Andrew. It just happened.
By the time she found out about her pregnancy, she had already transferred to another university. Supposedly, she had written several letters to Andrew, but he hadn't responded to any of them.
Why Now?
Naturally, the judge also asked why she had chosen to file a lawsuit now. Her response left Andrew and Clara stunned. The plaintiff claimed she had only learned his current address through the article in the church newsletter.
Andrew and Clara looked at each other with mouths agape. The community's honor, which had been embarrassing for Andrew, had brought about this lawsuit? It couldn't be true!
What Will the Paternity Test Reveal?
Based on the plaintiff's seemingly credible statements, the judge ordered Andrew to take a paternity test. Andrew provided a saliva sample to a laboratory assistant right in the courtroom.
Now they had to wait. Fortunately, DNA analysis had made significant advancements. The results would be available in just 72 hours. Clara and Andrew faced three sleepless nights.
(No) Surprise
The test results were clear. Andrew couldn't be the father. Now, the media spectacle the plaintiff had set in motion was backfiring on her. She had only wanted to increase the pressure on Andrew.
She had been counting on an esteemed church member like him doing anything to avoid a public trial over an illegitimate child. But her plan had failed.
Strength in Togetherness
After the plaintiff's social media posts, the case quickly spread throughout the community. However, everyone who knew Andrew stood by him. Clara's support was also a strong sign.
When the paternity test results confirmed Andrew's statements, many in the community became angry with the plaintiff and denounced her on Instagram and Twitter as a liar and manipulator.
At the Expense of the Child
Beyond Andrew's church community, many people were infuriated by how ruthlessly and greedily the plaintiff used her child to extort former classmates. This set off a chain reaction.
After the story went viral on Facebook, four other fellow students suddenly came forward, claiming they had also been extorted by the plaintiff. Out of fear of tarnishing their reputation, they had paid her sums ranging between $45,000 and $85,000.
A Case for the Prosecutor
The prosecutor didn't overlook this situation. He would have liked to sue the woman for aggravated extortion. However, the victims refused to testify officially. Their fear of ultimately ruining their reputation was too great.
Furthermore, the paid sums had long been exhausted. The plaintiff had also lost her job amidst the crisis. As a result, her house had been foreclosed. Through tears, she admitted that the extortion had been her last resort to avoid homelessness.
Taking the High Road
In response, Andrew showed that he could rise above himself. He got the plaintiff a job in a friendly community. However, it was in another state.
Understanding all too well, Andrew and Clara had no desire to cross paths with this fraudster every day. With the prosecutor on her tail, the plaintiff promised to be honest from then on.