Dannielynn Birkhead paternity case

The Dannielynn Hope Marshall Birkhead paternity case, a.k.a. Birkhead v. Marshall, was a high-profile legal battle that revolved around the paternity of Anna Nicole Smith's daughter, Dannielynn. Larry Birkhead, Smith's former love interest, filed a lawsuit against Howard K. Stern, Smith's live-in partner who was listed as the father on the birth certificate, seeking to establish his paternity rights. Dannielynn stood to inherit a substantial fortune if Smith's estate succeeded in its ongoing legal battle to claim inheritance from her late husband, an affluent oil tycoon. Given its significant implications and media coverage, the case involved various legal proceedings and garnered substantial public attention.[1] G. Ben Thompson, a former boyfriend of Smith's who worked as a real-estate developer in South Carolina, claimed that pregnant Smith approached him to inform him that he was the father of her unborn child, but he balked telling Smith that was impossible because he had a vasectomy.[2]

The case unfolded in multiple jurisdictions, primarily in the United States and the Bahamas. Smith and Stern were reportedly staying in the Bahamas to avoid paternity testing of her daughter in the U.S.[3] The court hearings included DNA testing, testimonies from various individuals claiming to be the father, and arguments over custody and inheritance rights. The case was ultimately resolved when a DNA test confirmed Birkhead as the biological father of the child.[4]

In addition to Birkhead and Stern, several individuals including bodyguard/actor Alexander Denk, Mark Hatten, and Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt, among others, claimed to be the father of Smith's daughter.[5][6]

  1. ^ "No immediate DNA test in Anna Nicole baby battle". Reuters. March 13, 2007. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  2. ^ "Anna Nicole Fighting Paternity Suit, Now Eviction". ABC.com, Chris Francescani, Oct. 24, 2006
  3. ^ "Anna Nicole Smith back in hospital". February 14, 2009. Archived from the original on February 14, 2009. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  4. ^ "Ex-Boyfriend Challenges Paternity of Anna Nicole Smith's Daughter". Associated Press. October 3, 2006. Retrieved April 15, 2007.
  5. ^ Cuticchia, A.J. (2009). Genetics: A Handbook for Lawyers. ABA fundamentals. American Bar Association. p. 63. ISBN 978-1-60442-969-5. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
  6. ^ Muskal, Michael (April 10, 2007). "Birkhead is Smith's Baby's Father, DNA Tests Reveal". MSN Entertainment. Archived from the original on August 29, 2007. Retrieved April 11, 2007.