A New Jersey court made an unprecedented ruling in a child support case involving twins who were found to have different biological fathers, a rare phenomenon that has only been documented in a handful of cases nationwide.
Superior Court Judge Sohail Mohammed in Passaic County ruled that a man identified only as A.S. must pay child support for just one of the twins after DNA testing proved he was the father of only one child.
The case emerged when the mother, identified as T.M., sought child support payments through the Passaic County Board of Social Services.
The revelation came after a paternity test showed that A.S. was the father of one twin but not the other. This prompted the mother to acknowledge having relations with another man within a week of her encounters with A.S.
“This is a case of first impression in New Jersey and only a handful of reported cases exist nationwide,” Judge Mohammed said during the proceedings. The ruling sets a significant precedent for future cases involving similar circumstances.
Dr. Karl-Hans Wurzinger, who testified as an expert witness in the case, explained that this rare occurrence, known as heteropaternal superfecundation, happens when a woman releases multiple eggs during ovulation and has intercourse with different partners within the same fertility window.
The eggs can be fertilized by sperm from different men, resulting in twins with different fathers.
According to medical experts, this phenomenon occurs in about one out of every 13,000 paternity cases involving twins. The low number of documented cases may not reflect the actual frequency, as DNA testing is not routinely performed in most twin births.
The case began when T.M. applied for public assistance and named A.S. as the father of both twins. However, the DNA test results showed that while A.S. was definitely the father of one twin, he was excluded as the biological father of the other.
The decision establishes that child support obligations can be assigned separately for twins based on biological parentage, even when the children are born at the same time.
“This case represents a unique intersection of family law and modern medical science,” commented a spokesperson from the Passaic County Board of Social Services. “It demonstrates how advances in DNA testing continue to impact legal proceedings and family court decisions.”
The court ordered A.S. to pay child support for his biological child. The mother retains the right to pursue child support from the other twin’s father through separate legal proceedings.
Judge Mohammed’s ruling also addressed the broader implications of such cases, noting that family courts must adapt to handle increasingly complex scenarios brought to light by advanced medical testing and modern family dynamics.
While the case has drawn attention for its unusual circumstances, legal experts emphasize that the court’s primary focus remained on ensuring the best interests of both children, regardless of their biological parentage.
Editor’s Note: This case was documented in court proceedings from Passaic County Superior Court, New Jersey, in May 2015. Names have been abbreviated to protect privacy in accordance with legal requirements. Medical statistics were provided through expert testimony and verified medical sources.