How is a child considered "legitimated"?

• A. If parents marry after the child is born
• B. If child is born in the U.S.
• C. If legitimated before 16 years of age
• D. If the child is adopted

Answer: (C)

A child is considered "legitimated" when legal actions connect the child's status to their biological parents, typically involving an acknowledgment of paternity. Being legitimated before the age of 16 is significant because many jurisdictions require that such actions occur within a certain timeframe for them to have standing in terms of inheritance and other legal rights.

When a child is legitimated, it alters their legal status in a way that can ensure they receive certain rights and privileges, similar to those that come from being born to legally married parents. The process may involve steps such as the parents marrying after the birth, but merely getting married does not automatically legitimize the child unless specific legal measures are taken.

Simply being born in the U.S. does not secure a child’s legitimacy unless the parent-child relationship is legally established. Adoption, while it creates a legal parent-child relationship, works under different legal principles and definitions compared to legitimation. Thus, the only choice that aligns with the established legal framework of legitimization is the one that specifies the importance of the age at which this occurs.