Legal Definitions - bastardy proceeding

A bastardy proceeding, also known as a paternity suit, is a legal process to determine whether a person is the father of a child, especially if the child was born out of wedlock. This process is usually initiated by the mother to obtain child support from the father.

• When Sarah gave birth to a baby girl, she filed a paternity suit against her ex-boyfriend to establish him as the father and obtain child support.
• John was unsure if he was the father of his ex-girlfriend's child, so she filed a bastardy proceeding to establish paternity and obtain child support.

These examples illustrate how a mother can initiate a legal process to establish the father of her child and obtain financial support for the child's upbringing.