Clark v. Jeter
United States Supreme Court
486 U.S. 456 (1988)
Relevant factsFree
Pennsylvania law required paternity actions on behalf of children born out of wedlock to be filed within six years of the child's birth, while legitimate children faced no comparable time limit on establishing paternity for support purposes. The plaintiff's paternity claim was barred under this statute, and she challenged it as an equal protection violation, arguing it discriminated against nonmarital children.
IssueFree
Whether a six-year statute of limitations imposed on paternity actions filed on behalf of children born out of wedlock violates equal protection.