Sorry Carol, I was hasty in my comments.

Yours is a good point.

It would indeed be in the interests of the child (and the father) to avoid the stress and trauma of a protracted messy and possibly damaging legal battle with a crowd of narrow minded beaurocrats.

To add to which, getting ones pound of flesh, as was the case in the merchant of venice, is never the reward we expect it to be.

Donuels purpose is of course ultimately to prevent further unhappiness for himself and his son.

Excuse my belligerence.