While same-sex marriage has been recognized in Illinois for some time now, parentage issues for same-sex spouses are an evolving area of law. Illinois is among the first states to offer same-sex spouses the same presumption of parentage that opposite-sex spouses have long enjoyed. In opposite-sex marriage, a child born to the wife is palso presumed to be the husband's child. This presumption exists even if the spouses used a sperm donor or there is another reason to believe that the husband is not biologically the father. In Illinois, the presumption that a child born into a marriage is a child of both spouses has been extended to cover spouses who are of the same sex.
Having both spouses identified as legal parents to the child protects both spouses in the event of a divorce and also protects the child. If you have concerns regarding the legal parentage of a child, our attorneys can help.
The Parentage Presumption for Women Married to Women
Two married women now need only to have both of their names placed on the baby’s birth certificate in order to be considered legal parents. In the past, it may have been necessary for the wife who is not a biological parent to legally adopt their spouse’s child. However, now, when a child is born, the spouse of the person who gave birth enjoys the protection of being a presumed parent regardless of their genders.
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