7Recognition of paternity

### 7 Recognition of paternity > > (1)  The relationship of father and child and any other relationship traced in any degree through that relationship shall, for any purpose related to succession to property or to the construction of any will or other testamentary disposition or of any instrument creating a trust or for the purpose of any claim under the [Testator's Family Maintenance Act 1912](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1912-007) , be recognized only if – > > > > > > (a) the father and the mother of the child were married to each other at the time of its conception or at some subsequent time; or > > > > > > > (b) [*\[Section 7 Subsection (1) amended by No. 42 of 1994, s. 6, Applied:01 Aug 1997\]*](/view/html/inforce/1997-08-01/act-1994-042#GS6@EN) paternity has been admitted (expressly or by implication) by or established against the father in his lifetime (whether by one or more of the types of evidence specified by this Act or otherwise) and, if that purpose is for the benefit of the father, paternity has been so admitted or established while the child was living. > > > (2)  In any case where by reason of [subsection (1)](#GS7@Gs1@EN) the relationship of father and child is not recognized at the time the child is born, the occurrence of any act, event, or conduct which enables that relationship and any other relationship traced in any degree through it to be recognized shall not affect any estate, right, or interest in any real or personal property to which any person has become absolutely entitled, whether beneficially or otherwise, before the act, event, or conduct occurred.