When can a child inherit from a non-marital parent in Louisiana?

In Louisiana, a child can inherit from a non-marital parent when paternity is established legally. This is important because, unlike children born within a marriage who have a presumption of paternity, establishing paternity for a non-marital child involves a legal process that recognizes the child's right to inherit from that parent.

The legal establishment of paternity can occur through various methods, such as signing a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity or through a court order. This legal recognition is crucial for the child to obtain inheritance rights, reflecting the state's intention to afford children equal rights to inheritance regardless of their parents' marital status.

While acknowledgment by the parent can also aid in establishing a legal relationship, it is not the sole determinant for inheritance rights. Marriage ceremonies do not apply to non-marital situations, and adoption, while it grants inheritance rights, changes the parent's relationship to the child and does not pertain to the recognition of biological ties with a non-marital parent. Thus, the establishment of paternity is central to the question of inheritance in this context.