Legal Considerations You Must Know
While modern illegitimate children have almost every right that legitimate children have, there are still some things that are unequal. In the past there were no child laws to protect children born out of wedlock. They were denied everything from certain civil rights to property rights. Child laws had to change as more unmarried women gave birth to children.
Illegitimate children only used to be allowed to inherit property from their mother or her family unless the father had specified that the child receives something in his will. Now they are allowed to inherit property from both the mother and father.
Many changes in the child laws to protect illegitimate children are relatively new. However, the rise in the number of unwed mothers having children has led to lawmakers pushing for child laws that enforce equality for both legitimate and illegitimate children.
The child laws that are legally followed now operate on the premise that children deserve support from both parents. One child law that still discriminates against illegitimate children relate to royalty
While the number of illegitimate children increases constantly in the United States, there are many other countries throughout Europe that have seen large increases in children born out of wedlock as well.
Related Topics
- Quick Overview of the Juvenile Court
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- Puerto Rico Guardianship Law
- Canada
- Colorado Guardianship Law
- Quick Overview to Adoption Law
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- Quick Overview on Orphanages
- Quick Overview of LGBT Adoption
- California Guardianship Law