Anna Nicole Smith: Paternity Test Ordered by Judge

By: Shannon Gossage

The ruling was announced Thursday after Larry Birkhead, a freelance photographer and ex-boyfriend of Smith, filed a lawsuit claiming that he is the father of three-month old Dannielynn Hope. Smith claims that her lawyer/fiancé Howard K. Stern is the child’s father. Birkhead has maintained that he is the baby’s father since Smith announced her pregnancy. He said Thursday, "If I was on anybody’s Christmas list, they can scratch me off because this is the best Christmas present I could have ever received. I’m one step closer to beginning a relationship with my daughter."

Smith gave birth to Dannielynn on September 7 in the Bahamas and tragically three days later her 20-year old son Daniel Wayne Smith passed away unexpectedly. Stern and Smith had a commitment ceremony in late September that is reportedly not a legal union. Stern announced that he was the baby’s father on The Larry King Live show and Birkhead immediately filed a lawsuit to determine the paternity of the child that he believes he fathered.

Smith’s attorney, Ron Rale, said, "I believe there is not an issue about Anna’s willingness or unwillingness to submit to testing. Any kind of allegation that she’s blatantly refusing DNA tests is off the mark and not an accurate depiction of the legal process at this time." Smith and Stern have been acting very bizarrely following the birth of her daughter and death of her son. For whatever reason it does seem that she has done anything and everything to keep Birkhead away from the baby. Now it seems there will finally be some answers. Birkhead said, "I think God that I will soon have the opportunity to prove that I am the father…and eventually hold her in my arms."