Establishing Parentage in a Chicago Child Custody Case – What is “Parentage” and How is It Determined?
One of the things that many Chicago parents who are in the midst of a child custody battle, or who are soon to be part of a child custody dispute, may not know is the importance of parentage in Chicago child custody cases. Indeed, a perhaps less-well-known legal construct, parentage is, simply put, the legal determination of a child’s parents under Illinois laws. There is no question that establishing who a child’s parents legally are is an important step in any Chicago child custody case, because the determination of parentage will impact the legal rights and responsibilities that are associated with being a parent under Illinois marriage and divorce laws. But how does a Chicago parent establish parentage in their case? And where can Chicago parents turn to for legal help with their important child custody matters, including parentage? We answer those questions here.
Establishing Parentage: Woman and Child and Man and Child
Under the Illinois Compiled Statutes, there are different laws for how a man and woman can establish parentage of a child. There are a number of ways that a woman can establish parentage of a child. The Illinois Compiled Statutes establish that, “The parent-child relationship is established between a woman and a child by: (1) the woman having given birth to the child…; (2) an adjudication of the woman’s parentage; (3) adoption of the child by the woman; (4) a valid gestational surrogacy arrangement that complies [with the law]; (5) or an unrebutted presumption of the woman’s parentage of the child [under Illinois laws].” On the other hand, when it comes to a man establishing parentage of a child, the Illinois Compiled Statutes state that, “The parent-child relationship is established between a man and a child by: (1) an unrebutted presumption of the man’s parentage of the child [under Illinois laws]; (2) an effective voluntary acknowledgment of paternity by the man [under Illinois laws]; (3) an adjudication of the man’s parentage; (3) adoption of the child by the man; or (5) a valid gestational surrogacy arrangement that complies [with the law].” Importantly, Illinois laws aim to be gender-neutral when it comes to the equal rights of both a man and woman establishing parentage of a child. The Illinois Compiled Statutes mandate that, “Insofar as practicable, the provisions of this Act applicable to parent-child relationships shall apply equally to men and women as parents, including, but not limited to, the obligation to support.”
Getting Legal Help with Your Parentage Case in Chicago – Chicago Paternity Lawyer
If you are in the Chicago area and you need legal help establishing parentage in your child custody case, contact the experienced Chicago paternity lawyers at the law firm Arnoux Sharma Standeford, LLC. The experienced Chicago paternity lawyers at Arnoux Sharma Standeford, LLC are here to help Chicago parents fight for their child custody rights. Contact Arnoux Sharma Standeford, LLC and speak to a lawyer about your case now.
