Voluntary Paternity Acknowledgment: An Update of State Law


 

Publication Date: December 2006

Publisher: Center for Law and Social Policy

Author(s): Paula Roberts

Research Area: Law and ethics

Type: Brief

Coverage: United States

Abstract:

Voluntary paternity establishment programs have been a great success for both parents and children. While federal law sets out the general rules for such programs, there is some state variation. Among the major differences involve 1) the ability of minor parents to use the voluntary establishment process, 2) the process for rescinding an acknowledgment, and 3) under what circumstances an acknowledgment can be challenged after the rescission period. This memo and its accompanying tables describe and analyze these state variations.