Section 2: Establishment of parentage by recognition

Where filiation is not established under the conditions laid down in Section I of this Chapter, it may be established by an acknowledgement of paternity or maternity, made before or after birth. Acknowledgement establishes filiation only in respect of its author. It is made in the birth certificate, by deed received by the civil registrar or by any other authenticated deed. The record of recognition is drawn up on a…

Where there are serious indications, based where applicable on the civil registrar’s hearing of the person who acknowledged the child, that the acknowledgement is fraudulent, the civil registrar shall immediately refer the matter to the public prosecutor and inform the person who acknowledged the child. The public prosecutor must decide, within fifteen days of the matter being referred to him or her, either to allow the civil registrar to register…

Any act of opposition by the public prosecutor shall mention the forenames and surname of the author of the acknowledgement as well as the forenames and surname, date and place of birth of the child concerned. In the case of a prenatal acknowledgement, the act of opposition shall mention the forenames and surname of the author of the acknowledgement as well as any indication communicated to the civil registrar relating…

The court shall rule, within a period of ten days from the date on which the matter is referred to it, on the application for the opposition to be dismissed made by the author of the acknowledgement, even if he is a minor. In the event of an appeal, a ruling shall be made within the same time limit and, if the judgment appealed from has dismissed the opposition, the…

Where the referral to the public prosecutor concerns a prenatal acknowledgement or an acknowledgement concomitant with the declaration of birth, the child’s birth certificate shall be drawn up without any indication of this acknowledgement. .

When the acknowledgement is registered, its effects for the application of articles 311-21 or 311-23 date back to the date of referral to the public prosecutor.