Daughter May Not Sue Dad For Child Support Mom Didn’t Seek

In a case of first impression in that state, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled last week that the adult daughter of a failed marriage as a third party cannot sue her father to enforce a child support provision from her parents' property settlement agreement that would benefit her directly. However, the justices split over the issue of whether the result should be based on contract law or public policy gounds.  Asher Hawkins of the The Legal Intelligencer has provided an initial analysis of the decision on the Law.com website.  Source:  Asher Hawkins, Legal Inteligencer, Law.com.  Asher Hawkins analysis of this case may be found here (last visited March 26, 2006, reo). 

Wheamei Jenq Chen v. Chen, 2006 Pa. LEXIS 253 (March 20, 2006)

You may download a PDF copy of the slip opinion of the Pennsylvania child_support_ruling here.pdf