§ 581-207 Certified copy of judgment of parentage

When a court decides who the legal parents of a child are under sections 581-202 or 581-203, it must give the intended parent or parents an official certified copy of that decision.

This certified copy matters because it serves as proof of legal parentage. Intended parents can use it to handle things like getting a birth certificate, enrolling the child in school, adding the child to health insurance, or dealing with any other situation where they need to show they are the child's legal parent.

The court is required to provide this copy automatically once it issues the judgment. Parents should not have to make a special request or fight to get it. If you are an intended parent in this type of case, you should expect to receive this certified copy directly from the court after the judgment is finalized.