C.L. v. J.M.L

J. A. L. was born on January 23, 1973. His mother, appellant here, was then and has been at all times since married to the same man. The name of her husband does not appear in the record, but he is the legal and is presumed to be the natural father of the child. The strongest presumption known to the law is that a child born in wedlock is the child of the marriage. Simpson v. Blackburn, 414 S.W.2d 795, 797[3] (Mo.App. 1967); Bernheimer v. First Nat'l Bank of Kansas City, 359 Mo. 1119, 1133, 225 S.W.2d 745, 751[10] (banc 1949). The presumption may be rebutted. In re K W H , 477 S.W.2d 433, 436[1] (Mo.App. 1972). No exact date appears in the record, but some time before June 18, 1975, C.L., respondent, brought an action against J. M. L. in the form of a petition to establish his paternity of J. A. L. Appellant's answer of June 18, 1975, denied that C. L. was the natural father of J. A. L.