How do I assure my son’s paternity rights?

q I am a 24-year-old Indian who had worked in Dubai. I fell in love with a Pakistani Muslim and I became pregnant with his child, but he refused to marry me. I filed a case in court and he agreed to marry me but on the condition that I have an abortion. The court sentenced me to three months in jail and deportation, but he was not jailed. I gave birth to a boy in India and I want to return to the UAE to secure for my son the right of carrying his father’s family name. How do I do that?

a If you have the court documents and they clearly include the man’s confession that he is the biological father of your son, then you can use them to hire a lawyer to file a lawsuit to prove the man’s paternity.

What does the law say about false advertising? I’ve seen a few flats advertised online and have called leasing agencies, only to be told that the price was a mistake or that the flat had been leased although it was still being advertised online. Are agents allowed to do this and is there an authority that I can complain to? Yes, there are rules for advertisements be they online or offline. So this is a matter you should take up with the land department or the real estate regulatory department in the emirate where you live. You can lodge a complaint against the agent who placed the advertisements. You should explain why you believe it was false advertising and provide evidence. When you look for a villa or apartment, you should check with these authorities to ensure that all the details you have been given regarding the property are accurate and legal.

Yousef Al Bahar is an advocate at Al Bahar and Associates Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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