Also known as: legal parents · legal parenthood · lawful parent · de jure parent
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
A person recognized by law as having the rights and responsibilities of parenthood toward a child. Recognition arises through biological relationship, formal adoption, or other statutory mechanisms that establish parentage.
Lorenzo Lugo donated sperm to a married couple under an informal arrangement. After the child was born the couple separated and Lorenzo sought to establish parental rights. Because no written agreement preserved his paternity under the applicable statute, the court held that Lorenzo was not a legal parent and denied his claims.
Luke Latham and his wife arranged for conception using his preserved sperm after his death. The child was born and the estate administrator denied benefits. The court recognized Luke as the legal parent because state law treated the posthumously conceived child as his descendant for inheritance purposes.
Select any source to read its text and confirm it supports the definition.
Liam Larson lived with his children and provided support for years but never married their mother. After the mother died the state placed the children without notifying Liam. The court held that Liam's established relationship entitled him to a hearing before termination of his legal parent status.
Leah Lamb gave birth to a child during her marriage to Lance Lee. Michael, the genetic father, sought to establish paternity. The court upheld the marital presumption that Lance was the legal parent and denied Michael standing to rebut it.
Lucy Liu's parental rights were terminated after the state proved neglect. The court required clear and convincing evidence before severing the legal parent-child relationship. Because the proof met that standard the termination order was affirmed.
Leah Lamb faced termination of her parental rights in a state proceeding. She requested appointed counsel but the court denied the request. The decision was upheld because the Constitution does not require counsel in every parental-rights termination case.
No. Under the Kansas statute a sperm donor is not a legal parent of a child conceived through assisted reproduction unless the parties execute a written agreement preserving the donor's paternity.
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A lawful adoption creates the same parent-child relationship for all legal purposes as a biological relationship. Once the decree issues the adoptee is treated as the legal child of the adoptive parent.
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No. Long-term care or emotional treatment as a child does not establish legal parentage without a formal adoption, court adjudication, or other statutory mechanism.
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The spouse of the woman who gives birth is presumed to be the legal parent. That presumption may be overcome only through a formal adjudication under the Uniform Parentage Act.
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The agreement must satisfy the statutory writing requirement. Informal email exchanges that lack formal execution do not meet the standard and leave the donor without legal parent status.
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…for the child by entering into the marriage contract; it is manifestly reasonable, therefore, that both of them be recognized as legal parents with rights and responsibilities in connection with the child. There has been no legally cognizable signification of such willingness on the part of unwed parents, however, and “the male…