Man Forced to Pay Child Support for 16 Years Due to Birth Certificate Error—Court Finally Rules in His Favor

For 16 years, a man was legally obligated to pay child support for twins who were not biologically his—simply because of a mistake on their birth certificates. Now, after a long legal battle, a UK court has finally ruled that he is not their legal father and can stop making payments.

 

 

A Costly Mistake That Lasted 16 Years

A man known as J. recently won his case in London’s Family Court to have his name removed from the twins' birth certificates and to stop paying child support. For 16 years, he had been paying £240 per month despite having no biological connection to the children.

The situation arose due to an error made during the birth registration process.

The Unusual Backstory

Seventeen years ago, J. was in a relationship with the twins’ mother, who was undergoing fertility treatment using donor sperm. She conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF) before marrying J.

By the time the twins were born, the couple had already tied the knot, and J.’s name was mistakenly listed as the father on the birth certificates. The marriage didn’t last, and after their divorce, he was still required to pay child support for children that were not his.

For over 15 years, J. had no contact with the twins. However, after being forced to retire due to health issues, he could no longer afford the payments and petitioned the court to have his legal paternity removed.

Court Ruling: J. Was Never the Legal Father

Despite the mother’s objections, Judge Cobb ruled in J.’s favor. The judge clarified that under UK law:
✅ A man is only the legal father of a child conceived via IVF if the procedure is performed in the UK.
✅ The twins were conceived abroad, eliminating J.’s legal parental status.
✅ His name being on the birth certificates was a clerical mistake, not a legal confirmation of paternity.

J. did not seek reimbursement for the child support payments he had made over the years—he simply wanted to be relieved of legal responsibility.

The Mother’s Concerns and the Court’s Response

The twins’ mother opposed the ruling, arguing that J. had been present during the conception process and that removing his name could harm the children emotionally.

However, the court believed that learning the truth about their origins would encourage the twins to seek out their biological father, which could be beneficial for them in the long run.

The ruling also freed the mother from needing J.’s consent for administrative matters such as healthcare, education, and passport renewals.

The Verdict: A Hard Truth, but a Fair Outcome

The court concluded that while the truth about their conception might be surprising, the twins—who had completed their secondary education with outstanding results—were mature enough to handle it.

With this ruling, J. is finally free from a mistake that cost him 16 years of financial responsibility for children who were never his.