[TexKat]

Bahama Law: Howard Is Baby's Legal Guardian

[6:26pm] With the sudden death of Anna Nicole Smith, Howard K. Stern has already assumed the title of "legal guardian" of Anna Nicole Smith's 5-month-old daughter Danielynn, according to the laws of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.

The law states, "On the death of the mother of a child, the father, if surviving, shall, subject to the provision of this Act, be guardian of the child, either alone or jointly with any guardian appointed by the mother. "

Smith named Stern as the father on Danielynn's Bahamian birth certificate. Stern, who appeared on "Larry King Live" and proclaimed that he was the father, is in a war of words with Larry Birkhead, Anna Nicole's former boyfriend who claims he's the daddy. Birkhead has filed legal papers in Los Angeles, asking a judge to order a paternity test.

[Arizona Carolyn]

Wasn't signed/certified in the presence of the Bahamian Registrar so under Bahamian law isn't a legal Birth Certificate. Some of us suspect this may be why Shelley took the Birth Certificate from the house.

[stlnative]

Birkhead's lawyer in the Bahama's is saying what I have in bold and unlined below did not happen. Because this did not happen then Stern's name cannot legally be on the birth certificate. In otherwords the birth certificate is VOIDED.

14. In the case of the birth of an illegitimate child- Registration of illegitimate child.

(a)no person shall as father of such child be required to give information under this Act concerning such birth;
(b)a registrar or assistant registrar shall not enter in any register the name of any person as father of such child unless at the joint request of the mother and the person acknowledging himself to be the father, such request taking the form of a written declaration witnessed by the registrar, or an assistant registrar, or justice of the peace or a notary public.

http://laws.bahamas.gov.bs/statutes/statute_CHAPTER_188.html