LD 1851
pg. 25
Page 24 of 90 An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Family Law Advisory Commission w... Page 26 of 90
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LR 2675
Item 1

 
must be made a party to a proceeding to rescind or challenge the
acknowledgment or denial.

 
2.__Submission to personal jurisdiction.__For the purpose of
rescission of, or challenge to, an acknowledgment of paternity or
denial of parentage, a signatory submits to personal jurisdiction
of this State by signing the acknowledgment or denial, effective
upon the filing of the document with the State Registrar of Vital
Statistics.

 
3.__Suspension of legal responsibilities.__Except for good
cause shown, during the pendency of a proceeding to rescind or
challenge an acknowledgment of paternity or denial of parentage,
the court may not suspend the legal responsibilities of a
signatory arising from the acknowledgment, including the duty to
pay child support.

 
4.__Proceeding to rescind or challenge.__A proceeding to
rescind or to challenge an acknowledgment of paternity or denial
of parentage must be conducted in the same manner as a proceeding
to adjudicate parentage under subchapter 6.

 
5.__Amendment to birth record.__At the conclusion of a
proceeding to rescind or challenge an acknowledgment of paternity
or denial of parentage, the court shall order the State Registrar
of Vital Statistics to amend the birth record of the child, if
appropriate.

 
Comment

 
(This is section 309 of the UPA.)

 
Although the federal statute does not prescribe the method for
"rescission" of an acknowledgment of paternity, it does require a
judicial proceeding for a subsequent "challenge." Overturning an
acknowledgment of paternity through either of the prescribed
methods has significant legal consequences. Thus, both methods
should require a formal procedure because either one may result
in the setting aside of an otherwise valid legal determination of
the child's parentage. A procedure that allows a signatory of an
acknowledgment of paternity merely to file a rescission with the
state bureau of vital statistics would be an unwise policy
choice. Many jurisdictions have come to the same conclusion.

 
§1860.__Ratification barred

 
A court or administrative agency conducting a judicial or
administrative proceeding is not required or permitted to ratify
an unchallenged acknowledgment of paternity.


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