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Maine Revised Statutes Title 19-A. Domestic Relations § 1881. Presumption of parentage

Current as of January 01, 2025 | Updated by Findlaw Staff

1. Marital presumption established. A person is presumed to be the parent of a child if:

A. The person and the woman giving birth to the child are married to each other and the child is born during the marriage;

B. The person and the woman giving birth to the child were married to each other and the child is born within 300 days after the marriage is terminated by death, annulment, divorce or declaration of invalidity or after a decree of separation; or

C. Before the birth of the child, the person and the woman giving birth to the child married each other in apparent compliance with law, even if the attempted marriage is or could be declared invalid, and the child is born during the invalid marriage or within 300 days after its termination by death, annulment, divorce or declaration of invalidity or after a decree of separation.

2. Equivalent status in other jurisdictions. The marital presumption in subsection 1 applies to a legal relationship that provides substantially the same rights, benefits and responsibilities as marriage and is recognized as valid in the state or jurisdiction in which it was entered.

3. Nonmarital presumption established. A person is presumed to be a parent of a child if the person resided in the same household with the child and openly held out the child as that person's own from the time the child was born or adopted and for a period of at least 2 years thereafter and assumed personal, financial or custodial responsibilities for the child.

4. Rebuttal or challenge of presumption. A presumption established under this subchapter may be rebutted or challenged only by a court determination of parentage pursuant to section 1882 or a valid denial of parentage under subchapter 3.

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Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Maine Revised Statutes Title 19-A. Domestic Relations § 1881. Presumption of parentage - last updated January 01, 2025 | https://codes.findlaw.com/me/title-19-a-domestic-relations/me-rev-st-tit-19-a-sect-1881/

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