Judgments of Parentage

Parentage Orders or Judgments of Parentage are court orders that secure the Intended Parents’ status, rights, and obligations as the child’s legal parents.

Judgments of Parentage, or Parentage Orders, are available to Intended Parents who conceived their child through assisted reproduction, including sperm donation and surrogacy.

Janene has experience petitioning courts in Maine, New York, and New Hampshire to have your legal parentage recognized from your child’s birth. This is referred to as a pre-birth order. Pre-birth orders are available for parents through gestational surrogacy and gamete donation.

Oleaga Law LLC also assists clients in securing parental rights post-birth through post-birth orders, second-parent adoptions, step-parent adoptions, and confirmatory adoptions. The specifics of your family-building will determine which process best suits your family’s needs and helps ensure your parentage is protected.

Resources

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• What is a Judgment of Parentage?
• Judgments of Parentage vs. Second Parent Adoptions
• Navigating the Path to Parenthood
• Confirmatory Adoption

Parentage Orders

Securing your legal rights as a parent shouldn’t be confusing or stressful, especially when you’ve put so much love and effort into building your family. But the process can become overwhelming without personal counsel or representation in your corner. At Oleaga Law, LLC, we help intended parents, LGBTQ+ couples, unmarried couples, and families of every dynamic establish lawful parent-child relationships. When you partner with our parentage orders lawyer, you get so much more than just help with necessary paperwork. You can expect compassionate guidance, backed by years of experience in family formation, adoption, surrogacy, and international law. If you’re ready to learn more about how to protect your parentage, we’re here to help you every step of the way. With offices in Maine and New York, assisting clients throughout the U.S. and abroad. Contact our firm today.

Parentage orders, or judgments of parentage, are court orders that secure the Intended Parents’ status, rights, and obligations as the child’s legal parents. These orders are available to intended parents who conceived their child through assisted reproduction, including sperm donation and surrogacy.

When it comes to your parenting rights, you don’t want any uncertainty or loose ends. Clients come to us seeking clarity and wanting to be sure they’re making informed decisions about their parentage orders. Whether your story is one of donor conception, gestational surrogacy, or a combination of assisted reproduction methods, we can attest that securing a legally recognized parent-child relationship is one of the most important steps you can take. Our parentage order attorney will help you understand the requirements of the courts and address any questions or concerns along the way.

New York

The New York Child Parent Security Act (“CPSA”) has simplified the path to securing legal parentage for individuals, unmarried couples, and same sex couples in New York who have conceived a child through assisted reproduction. Obtaining a judgment of parentage is an essential part of any surrogacy journey in New York, and an advisable step for any parent of a child born through sperm donation. New Yorkers (and those pursuing surrogacy in New York) now have the benefit of securing their legal parentage before their child is born. Surrogacy law in New York is complex, and requirements must be strictly followed to obtain a judgment of parentage. Working with an experienced New York surrogacy attorney is essential for a smooth journey.

Maine

The Maine Parentage Act sets forth eight main mechanisms for establishing parentage through a judgment of parentage, including de facto parentage and parentage through assisted reproduction. Judgments of parentage are available to all parents and intended parents, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, or genetic connection to your child.

Why Experience Matters For Cases Involving Judgments Of Parentage

Parentage is deeply personal, and the laws surrounding it can be wildly technical. That’s why families trust us to guide them through the legal steps that protect what matters most to them.

• Our lead attorney, Janene Oleaga, has experience petitioning courts in Maine, New York, and New Hampshire to have your legal parentage recognized from your child’s birth. This is referred to as a pre-birth order. Pre-birth orders are available for parents through gestational surrogacy and gamete donation.
• Janene has also held leadership roles in national organizations that shape fertility law and family-building policy. She’s also been recognized on the 40 Under 40 list by Maine Business Journal.
• With a concentration in International Law from Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University and licensure in Maine, New Hampshire, and New York, Janene is uniquely equipped to guide clients through cross-border surrogacy and family-formation matters with confidence and precision.
• Because we represent families of all backgrounds, we have an understanding of the unique needs of LGBTQ+ parents and non-traditional families.
• Our practice is dedicated exclusively to family formation, providing clients with focused expertise and compassionate support throughout their journey.

At Oleaga Law, LLC, we also assist clients in securing parental rights post-birth through post-birth orders, second-parent adoptions, step-parent adoptions, and confirmatory adoptions. The specifics of your family building will dictate which process best suits your family’s needs. We make the parentage order process clear, accessible, and tailored to your best interests. Contact us today to get started.