Form Vs-27b - Denial Of Parentage (Dop) (Page 2 of 2) in pdf

DENIAL OF PARENTAGE (DOP)

NOTES AND INSTRUCTIONS

The presumed parent should carefully read all notes and instructions before completing and signing the Denial of Parentage (DOP).

A Denial of Parentage (DOP) form is a legal form signed by a presumed father to swear that he is not the child’s genetic (natural) father. If a

married or formerly married mother claims that her spouse or ex-spouse (presumed parent) is not the genetic father of the child and the genetic

father would like to acknowledge paternity, the spouse may complete a Denial of Parentage form in the presence of a notary public. To be valid,

the child’s genetic father and mother must also sign an Acknowledgment of Paternity (AOP) form. The AOP and DOP may be filed separately

or simultaneously, but neither is valid unless both are filed with the Office of Data, Research, and Vital Statistics (DRVS). This DOP shall be

signed under penalty of perjury by the presumed father who is seeking to relinquish paternity in the presence of a notary public.

MOTHER IS OR WAS FORMERLY MARRIED: When a mother is or was married within 300 days of the birth of the child, the name of

the spouse shall be entered on the Certificate of Live Birth, including situations when:

A. The spouse may not be the genetic father.

B. The mother has been separated (legally or otherwise) from the spouse, regardless of the period of the separation.

C. The mother was legally married or attempted to marry, and the child is born within 300 days after the termination of the marriage (unless the

final divorce decree specifies that the spouse is not the natural father).

IF DOP COMPLETED AT HOSPITAL: If a DOP has been completed and the Affidavit is given to the hospital before the Certificate of Live

Birth is submitted to DRVS, the genetic father will be listed as the father/parent on the birth certificate, provided the biological father

acknowledges paternity.

IF DOP IS NOT COMPLETED AT HOSPITAL: If this DOP has not been completed before the hospital submits the Certificate of Live

Birth to DRVS, the spouse/ex-spouse (presumed parent) will be listed as the father on the birth certificate.

LEGAL CITATIONS: Title 19-A Chapter 61: The Maine Parentage Act

“Acknowledge father” means a man who has established parentage by filing the AOP with the State Register of Vital Statistics.

“Adjudicated parent” means a person who has been adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction to be the parent of the child.

“Presumed parent” means a person who is recognized as the parent of the child until that status is rebutted or confirmed in a judicial proceeding.

A person is presumed to be the parent of a child if:

A. The person and the woman giving birth to the child are married to each other and the child is born during the marriage; or

B. The person and the woman giving birth to the child were married to each other and the child is born within 300 days after the marriage is

terminated by death, annulment, divorce or declaration of invalidity or after a decree of separation; or

C. Before the birth of the child, the person and the women giving birth to the child married each other in apparent compliance with law, even if

the attempted marriage is or could be declared invalid, and the child is born during the invalid marriage of within 300 days after its

termination by death, annulment, divorce or declaration of invalidity or after a decree of separation.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE DOP:

The presumed parent must read and initial all the statements included on the DOP.

The presumed parent must sign the DOP in the presence of a Notary Public and the Notary must notarize the signature.

Alterations, erasures, white-outs, cross-outs, write over’s, etc., will not be accepted and will invalidate the completed form.

The presumed parent may present the completed and notarized DOP to the hospital prior to the submission of the Certificate of Live Birth

or directly with the Office of Data, Research, and Vital Statistics, at the mailing address provided below:

Data, Research, and Vital Statistics

220 Capitol Street

11 State House Station

Augusta, Maine 04333-0011

NOTES:

The amended birth certificate will be available for issuance by the municipality where the child was born, the municipality where the mother

resided at the time of birth and/or the Office of Data, Research, and Vital Statistics.

The fee for one certified copy of the Certificate of Live Birth is $15.00. Additional copies requested at the same time are $6.00 each.

All forms are available through the DRVS website at

records/forms/index.shtml.

Page 2 of 2

VS-27B 06/2016

Form Vs-27b - Denial Of Parentage (Dop) Page 2

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