Clark v. Jeter

The ruling acknowledged the constitutional right of children born out of wedlock to seek support from their fathers without the restriction of a time limit. The Supreme Court ruled that the Pennsylvania law prohibiting paternity claims after six years did not "provide a reasonable opportunity" for an illegitimate child to obtain parental support. The Court also ruled that the six-year limit, which the state had adopted to prevent the litigation of "stale or fraudulent claims," was not necessary to deter such actions.