Legal Definitions - filiated father

A filiated father is a man who has been legally recognized as the father of a child. This legal recognition establishes a formal relationship between the man and the child, granting both rights and responsibilities under the law. These responsibilities often include financial support, while rights can encompass inheritance, custody, and visitation.

Here are some examples illustrating the concept of a filiated father:

• Example 1: Presumption of Paternity

  When Maria and David, who are married, welcome their daughter, Sophia, David is automatically considered Sophia's filiated father. The law generally presumes that a husband is the father of any child born during the marriage. This legal presumption establishes David's parental rights and responsibilities towards Sophia, such as the obligation to provide financial support and the right to make decisions about her upbringing.

• Example 2: Voluntary Acknowledgment

  Sarah and Michael are not married, but they have a son named Leo. At the hospital after Leo's birth, Michael signs a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity form. By signing this document, Michael legally recognizes himself as Leo's father. This act makes him the filiated father, establishing his legal duties, such as child support, and his rights, like seeking visitation or custody, concerning Leo.

• Example 3: Court Order

  After a period of uncertainty, Jennifer files a paternity suit against Robert, claiming he is the biological father of her daughter, Chloe. Following DNA testing that confirms Robert's biological relationship, the court issues an order officially declaring Robert to be Chloe's father. This judicial declaration legally establishes Robert as the filiated father, obligating him to provide child support and granting him parental rights, even if he initially disputed paternity.