Who may initiate proceedings; petition; parties.

Checkout our iOS App for a better way to browser and research.


(a) A mother of a child born out of wedlock or a woman pregnant with a child who may be born out of wedlock;

(b) The duly appointed and acting guardian of the child, conservator of the child’s estate or a guardian ad litem, if the guardian or conservator has the physical custody of the child or is providing support for the child;

(c) The administrator, as defined in ORS 25.010;

(d) A man claiming to be the father of a child born out of wedlock or of an unborn child who may be born out of wedlock; or

(e) The minor child by a guardian ad litem.

(2) Proceedings shall be initiated by the filing of a duly verified petition of the initiating party. The petition shall contain:

(a) If the initiating party is one of those specified in subsection (1)(a), (b), (c) or (e) of this section:

(A) The name of the mother of the child born out of wedlock or the person pregnant with a child who may be born out of wedlock;

(B) The name of the mother’s spouse if the child is alleged to be a child born to a married person and a man other than the mother’s spouse;

(C) Facts showing the petitioner’s status to initiate proceedings;

(D) A statement that a respondent is the father;

(E) The probable time or period of time during which conception took place; and

(F) A statement of the specific relief sought.

(b) If the initiating party is a man specified in subsection (1)(d) of this section:

(A) The name of the mother of the child born out of wedlock or the person pregnant with a child who may be born out of wedlock;

(B) The name of the mother’s spouse if the child is alleged to be a child born to a married and a man other than the mother’s spouse;

(C) A statement that the initiating party is the father of the child and accepts the same responsibility for the support and education of the child and for all pregnancy-related expenses that he would have if the child were born to him in lawful wedlock;

(D) The probable time or period of time during which conception took place; and

(E) A statement of the specific relief sought.

(3) When proceedings are initiated by the administrator, as defined in ORS 25.010, the state and the child’s mother and putative father are parties.

(4) When a proceeding is initiated under this section and the child support rights of one of the parties or of the child at issue have been assigned to the state, a true copy of the petition shall be served by mail or personal delivery on the Administrator of the Division of Child Support of the Department of Justice or on the branch office providing support services to the county in which the suit is filed.

(5) A person whose parentage of a child has been established under ORS 109.065 is a necessary party to proceedings initiated under this section unless the parentage has been disestablished before the proceedings are initiated. [1969 c.619 §1; 1971 c.191 §1; 1971 c.401 §3; 1971 c.779 §79; 1973 c.823 §105; 1975 c.458 §15a; 1975 c.640 §4a; 1979 c.90 §3; 1979 c.246 §5; 1983 c.762 §2; 1993 c.596 §21; 2001 c.334 §6; 2003 c.73 §56; 2007 c.454 §4; 2017 c.651 §52]


Download our app to see the most-to-date content.