Biological father to go on adopted birth certificate

TWO women adopted when they were young children more than half a century ago are set to have the names of their biological fathers added to their birth certificates, after a ruling by a High Court judge.

Mr Justice Cobb has made declarations of “parentage” in relation to women’s biological fathers.

He said he would invite the registrar general for births and deaths to consider whether the women’s original birth certificates should be re-registered.

Both women had separately applied for declarations of parentage after tracing their biological fathers.

The judge, who heard that the fathers of both women were dead, described their applications as “unusual” and “without apparent precedent”.

Mr Justice Cobb, who is based in the Family Division of the High Court in London, said the women, both now in their 50s, were unconnected.

He outlined detail in a written ruling published yesterday after considering evidence at a recent private family court hearing.

The judge did not identify either woman but said both were represented by barrister Deirdre Fottrell QC.

Mr Justice Cobb said the “question of fundamental identity” lay “close to the centre” of the applications.

“These two applications have been brought entirely independently and, in terms of timing, coincidentally by two unrelated applicants,” said the judge.

“These were unusual applications without apparent precedent.”