Maryland Family Law Section 5-306

CAUTION: READ FULL TEXT OF SECTION FOR SPECIAL NOTE

** SPECIAL NOTE: EFFECTIVE - JANUARY 1, 2006 - CHAPTER 464 - 2005 **

      (a)      Unless a court excludes a man as the father of a child, a man is the father if:

            (1)      the man was married to the child's mother at the time of the child's conception;

            (2)      the man was married to the child's mother at the time of the child's birth;

            (3)      the man is named as the father on the child's birth certificate and has not signed a denial of paternity;

            (4)      the child's mother has named the man as the child's father and the man has not signed a denial of paternity;

            (5)      the man has been adjudicated to be the child's father;

            (6)      the man has acknowledged himself, orally or in writing, to be the child's father and the mother agrees; or

            (7)      on the basis of genetic testing, the man is indicated to be the child's biological father.

      (b)      (1)      A petitioner under Part II or Part III of this subtitle shall give a juvenile court notice that a man who is not named in the petition and has not been excluded as a father claims paternity.

            (2)      After a request of a party or claimant and before ruling on a petition under Part II or Part III of this subtitle, a juvenile court shall hold a hearing on the issue of paternity.