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REL field in MAVS for these situations would be as follows: NE - Marriage of mother and putative father after birth of child PV - Legitimation -A form processed following marriage of mother and putative father after birth of child. Once paternity for a child has been established by one of the methods described above, the putative father becomes the legal father of the child. The Child Support worker will help the parent obtain a court order for support when appropriate.

3009 Volume III | Chapter 3

MISSISSIPPI [NON-FINANCIAL CRITERIA: INTRODUCTION] Revised 12-01-17 Legal Responsibility Legal Parent When the child is living in the home with two legal parents who under state statute are legally responsible for his support, the child is not eligible for TANF even though financial need may exist in the home unless one parent is incapacitated, sentenced by the court to work without pay or qualifies as an unemployed parent. In determining deprivation for TANF, the term legal parent means: 1. The father of a child born of a legal marriage. See below for the definition of a legal marriage. This applies even when the mother names someone else as the biological father of her child. 2. The father of a child born out of wedlock when the child’s paternity has been legally established or who has met the requirement for paternity establishment as defined by the TANF program by marriage to the child’s mother after birth of the child. See Acknowledgment of Paternity, #2. 3. The adoptive father or adoptive mother of the child who has been legally adopted through proper court action. 4. The mother of the child. The mother is always a legal parent of a child without regard to whether or not the child was born out of wedlock or born of a legal marriage. When the father’s identity has not been legally established for a child born out of wedlock, the mother is the only legal parent of the child. Individuals Not Legally Responsible The following individuals are not legally liable for the support of a child under state statute and cannot be considered parents in establishing deprivation or seeking support.