Legal Question in Family Law in Pennsylvania

I was born out of wedlock in Williamsport, PA in Oct. 1956. Shortly after I was born my "father" sent a lawyer to see my mother in Elmira, NY with a check for $1000 and a form she had to sign releasing him of any responsibility in my upbringing. She was young and naive and signed. My question is, do I have any rights or claims to any part of his estate when he passes away? Do I have any other rights that I am unaware of? He still lives in Williamsport, PA. I tried to write to him once in the 1990s and never got a response.


Asked on 9/13/09, 4:15 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Solomon Weinstein Solomon Weinstein, Esquire

I am not sure what your mother signed. Generally one cannot sign away support rights. In adoption situations a person ie" your father can voluntarily relinquish parental rights if your mother had you adopted by a step parent. It does not seem that any of this happened from these facts. If your "father" has a will and does not mention you it is possible you would not be able to claim an interest. Of course if he specificall mentioned your name and indicated he was not leaving you anything he would have a much stronger case. If he dies without a will you can claim to take against his estate as a child but you would have to prove your relationship. ie birth certificate or some other means to establish your being his blood child.

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Answered on 9/18/09, 5:28 pm


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