Several years ago I agreed to do a female friend of mine a ‘favour’. She was single and desperate to have children. She begged me to donate sperm, promising never to make any claims against me , financial or otherwise. We are both Jewish. Now I have just received two pleas – one for paternity and one for child maintenance. I have never had any contact with the child who is supposed to be mine but am willing to co-operate with any medical tests to prove paternity. If I am the father, will I have to pay maintenance and what about back maintenance for the last few years?
By: דיאנה שאלתיאל•Published on: 16 May, 2022Once biological paternity is established, or admitted by the alleged father, a Jewish man who impregnates a single woman is bound to support the child according to Jewish law.This cannot be conditioned by any agreement, oral or in writing.
Usually when a court awards maintenance it does so from the date the plea was made. If a mother has decided not to file for several years it is likely that the court will rule that she gave up the child’s right to maintenance for this period.