Father Estopped from Moving to Vacate Order of Filiation Entered Upon Consent Despite “Somewhat Limited” Parent-Child Relationship

The Second Department determined father was estopped from challenging an order of filiation even though there was evidence the parent-child relationship was “somewhat limited:”

Here, the order of filiation was entered approximately 10 years prior to the instant petition, and the father had been paying child support during that time. In addition, the father sought, and was granted, visitation with the subject child, which he exercised, although sporadically. The father attended some of the child’s school functions and parent-teacher conferences, had telephone contact with the child, and saw the child on some of her birthdays. The child, who was 15 years old at the time the father’s petition was filed, was acquainted with some of the father’s family members, considered the father to be her father, and had never known any other father. Under these circumstances, the Family Court properly invoked the doctrine of equitable estoppel to preclude the father’s challenge to the order of filiation …, and “the evidence indicating that the parent-child relationship was somewhat limited did not preclude the application of [that] doctrine” … . Matter of Shawn H v Kimberly F, 2014 NY Slip Op 01610, 2nd Dept 3-12-14