The Mail Online has today reported that Dominique Desseigne, chief of the Lucien Barriere casino and hotel group has been named the father of the child born in 2009 to former French justice minister, Rachida Dati. The disclosure appears to be gaining international interest because the identity of the father has not previously been in the public domain.
The parties in this case are resident in France but what would happen if a similar situation arose in England and Wales? Do unmarried couples with children who later separate have any financial obligations to one another or their children?
Child maintenance is almost always payable to the parent with whom the children live. In England and Wales that parent may also be able to apply to the court for additional financial provision for example the provision of a home. In some cases the court may also order a lump sum to be paid to meet capital requirements of the child. Whether or not such an application would succeed will very much depend upon the facts of the case and it is always important to obtain specialist family law advice.
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