Illegitimacy

A child born out of true wedlock is calledillegitimate.

An illegitimate child suffers inconveniences, such as being debarred from certain offices and dignities, and also with reference to inheritance. Both parents of illegitimate children are bound, by the natural law itself, to provide for them.

The positive or statute law establishes illegitimacy,and therefore the same law can remove it. Hence, illegitimatechildren can be legitimized by due process of law.