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Actor’s long-term fight for paternal rights continues

When family dynamics change radically and quickly, establishing who should be considered a legitimate father can be very complicated and contentious. And if it involves a well-known couple, it can become fodder for endless speculation and extensive media coverage. Little Rock, Arkansas family law attorneys will attest that paternity issues are approached in varied and different ways among states.

The major paternity battle involving Jason Patric and Danielle Schreiber that is being played out is a case in point. He is an actor who starred in movies such as “After Dark, My Sweet” and “Speed 2: Cruise Control.” The mother involved is a massage therapist. Their case, which has taken a seriously bitter turn, heads back to court next month.

Schreiber was unable to conceive naturally, so the couple, who was in a relationship at the time, decided on artificial insemination to achieve pregnancy. The procedure yielded a child but the couple eventually parted ways two years after their son was born. Although Patric continued to see his child for a time, his mother moved abruptly to stop the visits.

Patric was undeterred in his determination to exercise his parental rights and took Schreiber to court insisting he is the child’s biological father even though he is technically a sperm donor with no parental rights. Schreiber’s lawyers say that the couple had no agreement that Patric would be treated as the natural father. The case has become increasingly embittered as Patric is adamant that he has the rights of a biological father.

Paternity issues are sometimes not easy to address. An experienced family law attorney can help a parent deal the question of paternity. With an increasing number of women opting for in vitro fertilization, the definition of what constitutes a parent with legal rights can be tricky and convoluted. A Little Rock paternity attorney would be able to sort out matters and provide advice about which course would be best to take.

Source: New York Times, “Does ‘Sperm Donor’ Mean ‘Dad’?” Brooks Barnes, May 2, 2014

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