Parentage
Establishing and Confirming Legal Parent-Child Relationships
Every child deserves the security of knowing who their legal parents are.
Every parent deserves legal recognition and protection.
In Nevada, parentage defines the legal relationship between a parent and a child. It determines who has custody and decision-making authority—and who has the duty to support the child.
At The Cooley Law Firm, we help families establish, confirm, and protect parentage under Nevada’s modern family-building laws. Attorney Shelly Booth Cooley played an active role in updating these laws, including AB 227 (2025), which brought clarity and inclusivity to parent-child relationships across the state.
What Is Parentage?
Parentage is the legal recognition of a person as a child’s parent—whether that parent is biological, intended, or adoptive.
Once parentage is established, a parent has full legal rights and responsibilities, including:
Custody and parenting time
Medical and educational decision-making
Financial support obligations
Being listed on the birth certificate
Inheritance and other legal benefits
Without established parentage, these rights may be limited—or denied.
How Parentage Is Established in Nevada
Nevada law provides several ways to establish legal parentage, depending on a family’s situation.
Legal Presumptions
Nevada law presumes a man is a child’s legal father in certain situations, even without genetic testing or a court order.
A man is presumed to be the father if:
He was married to the child’s mother at birth, or the child was born within 285 days after the marriage ended
He lived with the mother for at least six months before conception and during conception
He attempted to marry the mother before birth (even if invalid), and:
The child was born during that relationship, or
Within 285 days after it ended
He took the child into his home and openly held the child out as his own
These presumptions can be confirmed or challenged in court if parentage is disputed.
Voluntary Acknowledgment of Parentage
Unmarried parents may establish parentage by signing a Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity/Parentage and filing it with the State Registrar.
This creates legal parentage without going to court.
Court-Ordered Parentage
When parentage is uncertain or disputed, a parent—or the State—may ask the court to determine parentage under NRS Chapter 126.
This process may involve:
Genetic testing
Testimony and evidence
A court order formally establishing parentage
Assisted Reproduction and Surrogacy
Nevada law fully recognizes parentage created through:
Assisted reproductive technology (ART)
Gestational carrier (surrogacy) agreements
Under NRS Chapter 126, intended parents are legal parents from birth, regardless of gender or marital status, when legal requirements are met.
Confirmatory Adoption
AB 227 created a modern option for parents to confirm parentage through adoption, even when parentage already exists.
A confirmatory adoption provides a clear court order confirming both parents’ legal status.
This option is especially valuable for:
Families formed through ART or surrogacy
Unmarried couples seeking equal legal recognition
Families who moved to Nevada and want local confirmation
Parents seeking nationwide or international recognition
Confirmatory adoption provides lasting security—and peace of mind.
Why Establishing Parentage Matters
Legal parentage is the foundation of every parental right.
Without it, a parent may face problems with:
Medical decisions
School enrollment
Custody or visitation
Travel or relocation
Establishing parentage also ensures a child’s access to:
Financial and medical support
Health insurance
Social Security and inheritance rights
Stability if a parent dies or moves
For unmarried, LGBTQ+, or ART families, formal confirmation of parentage is essential for lifelong protection.
The Cooley Law Firm’s Approach
We guide families through both traditional and modern parentage pathways with care and precision.
Our services include:
Drafting and filing parentage petitions
Preparing voluntary acknowledgments and consents
Advising on ART and surrogacy agreements
Handling confirmatory adoptions and re-adoptions under AB 227
Ensuring full compliance with NRS Chapter 126 and AB 227
We provide discreet, experienced representation tailored to your family’s needs.
Protecting Modern Nevada Families
Families are formed in many ways—and Nevada law now recognizes them.
Establishing parentage is one of the most important legal steps you can take to protect your child and your rights as a parent.
Ready to Protect Your Family?
Contact The Cooley Law Firm to schedule a confidential consultation with Shelly Booth Cooley, a family law and family building attorney, Certified Family Law Specialist, Adoption & ART Fellow of the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys, and Fellow of both the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the International Academy of Family Lawyers, dedicated to helping Nevada families be legally recognized, secure, and protected.
