Gonzales v. Superior Court

In the three underlying civil actions out of which the original proceeding now before us arose, the District Attorney of Orange County, on behalf of certain minor children (and one unborn child) and their mothers, sought to establish the paternity of the children and to obtain court orders for support payments by their fathers. The filing of these actions by the district attorney was mandated by section 11350 of the Welfare and Institutions Code because Orange County has paid categorical aid (AFDC) to the mothers of these children under the Burton-Miller Act, chapter 2, part 3, division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 11200 et seq.)

After each of the three actions had been filed and each of the alleged fathers had answered, denying paternity, the district attorney caused to be served upon each an identical set of interrogatories containing fifty-six questions. These questions fall generally into two subject-matter areas relevant to the objectives of the litigation. One area (Nos. 6-17) inquired into the financial condition of the alleged father; the other area (Nos. 18-53) into the sexual relationship and other personal contacts between the…