<![CDATA[The Decision of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Indonesia No. 46/PUU-VIII/2010 marks an important milestone in the legal status of children born out of wedlock with respect to their biological fathers, who have long been deprived of the civil rights or relationships they should have received from their biological fathers. Until now, Article 43(1) of Law No. 1 of 1879 has served as a barrier to civil relationships between children born out of wedlock and their biological fathers. Prior to the decision of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Indonesia No. 46/PUU-VIII/2010, children born out of wedlock had legal relationships only with their mothers and their mothers’ families. This resulted in severely limited rights for the children, including regarding identity, child support, and inheritance rights. This study aims to analyze changes in the legal status of children born out of wedlock before and after the Constitutional Court’s decision, as well as to examine the legal aspects of inheritance rights from the biological father and to identify obstacles in the implementation of inheritance law in Indonesia. In this study, the author employs a normative legal methodology, through a legislative approach, case studies, literature reviews, court decisions, and other legal documents. In the research findings, the author discovered that the implications of the Constitutional Court’s decision have opened the door to the recognition of civil relationships between children born out of wedlock and their biological fathers, provided that scientific and legal evidentiary requirements are met. Consequently, from a normative perspective, access to inheritance rights can be considered open. However, this Constitutional Court decision does not explicitly affirm the inheritance rights norms contained within its ruling. Consequently, there is a lack of harmony within Indonesia’s inheritance legal system—which incorporates the Civil Code (Burgerlijk Wetboek), the Compilation of Islamic Law, and customary law—leading to uncertainty in judicial practice, interpretive debates, and legal uncertainty. In conclusion, Constitutional Court Decision No. 46/PUU-VIII/2010 affirms the protection of children’s rights and the principle of non-discrimination in the form of constitutional justice. The author believes there is a need for technical judicial guidelines, legal certainty, and substantive justice for children born out of wedlock.]]>
