(a) The Department of Human Resources shall establish a putative father registry which shall record the names, Social Security number, date of birth, and addresses of the following:
Attorney's Note
Under the Alabama Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|
| Class A misdemeanor | up to 1 year | up to $6,000 |
| Violation | up to 30 days | up to $200 |
For details, see
Ala. Code § 13A-5-7
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Terms Used In Alabama Code 26-10C-1
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- following: means next after. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
- person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
- state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
- United States: includes the territories thereof and the District of Columbia. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
The person filing shall notify the registry of any change of address pursuant to the procedures prescribed by regulation of the department. The registration must be on a form prescribed by the department and signed by the putative father and notarized.
The putative father may file his notice of intent to claim paternity prior to the birth of the child.
(d) A person who has filed a notice of intent to claim paternity may at any time revoke a notice of intent to claim paternity previously filed and, upon receipt of the notification by the registry, the revoked notice of intent to claim paternity shall be deemed a nullity nunc pro tunc.
(e) An unrevoked notice of intent to claim paternity of a child may be introduced in evidence by any party, other than the person who filed the notice, in any proceeding in which the fact may be relevant.
(f) The Department of Human Resources shall, upon request, provide the names and addresses of persons listed with the registry to any court. The information shall not be divulged to any other person except upon order of a court for good cause shown. The Department of Human Resources shall further after receiving notice pursuant to Section 26-10A-17 of the pendency of any adoption proceeding wherein the proposed adoptee is a child born within 300 days of the date or dates of sexual intercourse listed in the registry and to the same biological mother listed in the registry, immediately send a copy of the notice of intent to claim paternity to the court handling the adoption. When the court handling the adoption receives the notice of the intent to claim paternity, that court shall forthwith give notice of the pendency of the adoption proceeding to the putative father listed in such notice of intent to claim paternity and at the address therein listed, and additionally notify the biological mother that the putative father has registered in conformity with the putative father registry.
(g) The Department of Human Resources shall create a form titled “Notice of Intent to Claim Paternity” to be used when a person files notice of intent to claim paternity, and which shall include the information required under subsection (c), the name of the mother who has given birth or may give birth to a child born out of wedlock, and the possible date or dates of sexual intercourse.
(h) The registry, except as provided by subsection (f), shall be kept confidential and not open for public inspection.
(i) Any person who claims to be the natural father of a child and fails to file his notice of intent to claim paternity pursuant to subsection (a) prior to or within 30 days of the birth of a child born out of wedlock, shall be deemed to have given an irrevocable implied consent in any adoption proceeding.
This subsection shall be the exclusive procedure available for any person who claims to be the natural father of a child born out of wedlock on or after January 1, 1997, to entitle that person to notice of and the opportunity to contest any adoption proceeding filed and pending on or after January 1, 1997.
(j)
(1) A person who knowingly or intentionally registers false information under this section commits a Class A misdemeanor.
(2) A person who knowingly or intentionally releases confidential information in violation of this section commits a Class A misdemeanor. However, it is a defense under this subsection if the Department of Human Resources releases confidential information while acting:
b. With reasonable diligence.
