Illegitimate Child Law and Legal Definition
Illegitimate child is a child not born out of a wedlock. The terms non marital child or bastard are also used inter-changeably to refer to an illegitimate child. Under common law, there is a presumption that children born to a married woman is legitimate. Children born in a bigamous relationship or an annulled marriage is not considered as legitimate. Under Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. constitution, legitimate and illegitimate children are given equal protection of law. An illegitimate child can also inherit property. In the U.S., children born out of a void or voidable marriage is given a legitimate status.
Legal Definition list
Related Legal Terms
- Abused Child
- Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act
- Administration for Children and Families
- Administration on Children, Youth, and Families
- Adopted Child
- Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980
- Adult Child With a Disability
- After-Born Child
- Aggravated Sexual Assault Against a Child
- Aid to Families With Dependent Children AFDC
