The Legal Intelligencer: The Facts and Fiction of Legal Parentage

In an article published in The Legal Intelligencer on July 6, 2021, family law attorney Julie Colton discusses the facts and fiction of paternity in Pennsylvania, where elgal parentage is currently established through the common law constructs of presumption by paternity and paternity by estoppel. 

Parents can acknowledge paternity to avoid court determination. Parentage can be acknowledged through a birth certificate, a child support action or dependency matter. An acknowledgement usually prevents further legal inquiry into parentage. The current paternity law in Pennsylvania is heteronormative, having been established prior to the recognition of same-sex marriage and same-sex parents. Advancements in technology have complicated the common law in both same-sex and opposite-sex couples. Pennsylvania parentage law can seem inconsistent when applied to cases involving assisted reproductive technology.

Read the full article here: https://www.law.com/thelegalintelligencer/2021/07/06/the-facts-and-fiction-of-legal-parentage/

Julie focuses her practice on family law matters including divorce, child custody, support, asset division, prenuptial agreements, and international custody. Julie also has experience in family law mediation and collaborative law in the Pittsburgh area. She is an adjunct professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.