CHAPTER 28:02
AFFILIATION PROCEEDINGS

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

    SECTION

    1.    Short title

    2.    Interpretation

    3.    Commencement of action

    4.    Time for application for summons

    5.    Venue

    6.    Powers of court on hearing of complaint

    7.    Person entitled to payments

    8.    Revocation, variation, etc., of orders

    9.    Order to cease after child attains 13 or dies

    10.     Continuance of payments in certain cases

    11.     Effect of order

    12.     Misconduct by parent or custodian of illegitimate child

    13.     No jurisdiction if proceedings instituted in customary court

Act 50, 1970,
Act 31, 1977,
Act 8, 1999.

An Act to provide for the determination of the paternity of an illegitimate child and to provide for the making of orders for the maintenance of such children and other matters connected therewith and for matters incidental thereto.

[Date of Commencement: 25th November, 1970]

1.    Short title

    This Act may be cited as the Affiliation Proceedings Act.

2.    Interpretation

    In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

    "child" means a person below the age of 18 years;

[8 of 1999, s. 3(a).]

    "court" means a magistrate's court of any rank and includes a customary court which has been authorised, by any instrument, to hear paternity or maintenance proceedings;

[8 of 1999, s. 3(b).]

    "order" means a maintenance order made under section 6;

[8 of 1999, s. 3(c).]

    "parent" includes a mother of a child, a man who has acknowledged paternity by conduct or otherwise, a widow or widower and a married person who is divorced or living apart from the other spouse.

[8 of 1999, s. 3(a).]

3.    Commencement of action

    (1) A woman with child, a parent of a child or a person having the care or custody of a child may apply upon complaint to a court for a summons to be served, where the complainant is—

    (a)    a woman with child, on the man alleged to be the father of the child;

    (b)    a parent, on the other parent of the child; or

    (c)    a person having the care or custody of the child, on either or both parents.

    (2) A summons served under subsection (1) shall state whether the complainant seeks a paternity order or a maintenance order.

[8 of 1999, s. 4.]

4.    Time for application for summons

    (1) A complainant seeking a paternity order may make an application—