UAE court rejects man’s request to ‘disown’ daughter
He falsely claimed baby had died shortly after birth and refused to spend money on her
Ras Al Khaimah: The Second Personal Status Court in Ras Al Khaimah recently rejected an Arab father’s request to “disown” his daughter and obliged him to pay the lawyer’s fees.
The man had claimed she was not his biological daughter and refused to spend money on her.
The father had submitted a petition to the Case Management Office requesting the referral of the case for investigation to “prove” through legal means - using evidence and witness testimony - that the fetus his ex-wife was carrying during their divorce had died shortly after birth.
He requested a DNA test on the daughter, whom his ex-wife had claimed was indeed his daughter.
The Hanan Salem Al Shammili’s Law Firm, legal representative of the ex-wife, affirmed that the firm presented two witnesses who testified that the daughter was the man’s child from a valid marriage. One of the witnesses affirmed that the plaintiff denied his paternity out of fear of his family.
Past promises
The firm presented the marriage and divorce documents, the daughter’s birth certificate, and a copy of an agreement dated and signed by both parties to the case, which included the father’s acknowledgment of paternity and his commitment to pay Dh400 per month in alimony upon the child’s birth and to obtain a passport for her.
The couple married on October 17, 1998, and their daughter was born in 1999. An agreement was made at the office of the Chief Judge in Ras Al Khaimah to facilitate the ex-wife’s return to her home country, with the husband agreeing to secure a passport for the child and provide financial support after birth.
The mother struggled for years to ensure her daughter received proper identification and support. The plaintiff failed to pay child support from February 1, 2000, until the verdict date on August 26, 2024.
Despite the ruling, the father refused to comply, claiming the daughter was dead and attempting to evade his legal and moral responsibilities. The defendant obtained a statement from the Ministry of Interior of her country confirming the daughter is alive.