The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 15C : Parentage Proceedings

Chapter 004 : Presumed Parentage

• § 402. Challenge to presumed parent

  (a) Except as provided in subsections (b)-(d) of this section, a proceeding to challenge the parentage of a person whose parentage is presumed under section 401 of this title shall be commenced within two years after the birth of the child.

  (b) A proceeding to challenge the parentage of a person whose parentage is presumed under section 401 of this title may be commenced two years or more after the birth of the child in any of the following circumstances:

  (1) The presumed parent is not a genetic parent, never resided with the child, and never held out the child as the presumed parent’s child.

  (2) An alleged genetic parent who did not know of the potential genetic parentage of a child and who could not reasonably have known on account of material misrepresentation or concealment may commence a proceeding under this section within two years after discovering the potential genetic parentage. If the person is adjudicated to be the genetic parent of the child, the court shall not disestablish a presumed parent.

  (3) The child has more than one presumed parent.

  (c) Subject to the limitations set forth in this section and in section 401 of this title, if in a proceeding to adjudicate a presumed parent’s parentage of a child another person in addition to the person who gave birth to the child asserts a claim to parentage of the child, the court shall adjudicate parentage pursuant to subsections 206(a) and (b) of this title.

  (d) Regarding a presumption under subdivision 401(a)(4) of this title, another parent of the child may challenge a presumption of parentage if that parent openly held out the child as the presumptive parent’s child due to duress, coercion, or threat of harm. Evidence of duress, coercion, or threat of harm may include whether within the prior 10 years the person presumed to be a parent pursuant to subdivision 401(a)(4) of this title has been convicted of domestic assault, sexual assault, or sexual exploitation of the child or another parent of the child; was subject to a final abuse protection order pursuant to 15 V.S.A. chapter 21 because the person was found to have committed abuse against the child or another parent of the child; or was substantiated for abuse against the child or another parent of the child pursuant to 33 V.S.A. chapter 49 or 33 V.S.A. chapter 69. (Added 2017, No. 162 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 2019, No. 14, § 46, eff. April 30, 2019; 2023, No. 175 (Adj. Sess.), § 4, eff. July 1, 2024.)