Mississippi Code
Miss. Code Ann. § 93-17-1 (2026)
Jurisdiction to alter names and legitimate offspring; legitimation by subsequent marriage
✓ current as of July 2026
- (1) The chancery court or the chancellor in vacation, of the county of the residence of the petitioners shall have jurisdiction upon the petition of any person to alter the names of such person, to make legitimate any living offspring of the petitioner not born in wedlock, and to decree said offspring to be an heir of the petitioner.
- (2) An illegitimate child shall become a legitimate child of the natural father if the natural father marries the natural mother and acknowledges the child.
Codes, 1942, § 1269-01; Laws, 1955, Ex. ch. 34, § 1; Laws, 1981, ch. 529, § 5, eff. 7/1/1981.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 8
cases, 1985–2015 · leading case: Bryant v. Cameron, 473 So. 2d 174 (Miss. 1985).
Bryant v. Cameron, 473 So. 2d 174 (Miss. 1985). “Miss. Code Ann. §§ 93-17-1 , et seq (Supp.”
Dalphanie Lofton v. Ruby N. Lofton, 176 So. 3d 1184 (Miss. Ct. App. 2015). “In establishing the parties who must be joined in a proceeding for grandparent- visitation rights, section 93-16-5 states: All persons required to be made parties in child custody proceedings or proceedings for the termination of parental rights shall be made parties to any…”
Matter of Adoption of a Minor, 558 So. 2d 854 (Miss. 1990). “§ 93-15-1 , 11, this State also authorized proceedings whereby the rights of parents who had either abandoned or proved themselves unfit to have custody of their children, could have all their parental rights terminated.”
In Re Adoption of JJG, 736 So. 2d 1037 (Miss. 1999). “The fact that a litigant is not a necessary party to an action does not mean that he does not have standing to enter into the action and be heard.”
E.M.C. v. S.V.M., 695 So. 2d 576 (Miss. 1997). “Adoption procedure in this state is controlled by Miss.Code Ann. § 93-17-1 to - 31. Nothing included in this chapter mandates that a guardian ad litem should be appointed for the child in question.”
C.L.M. v. D.J.G., 736 So. 2d 1037 (Miss. 1999). “The fact that a litigant is not a necessary party to an action does not mean that he does not have standing to enter into the action and be heard.”
Hill v. Smith, 558 So. 2d 854 (Miss. 1990). “§ 93-15-1,—11, this State also authorized proceedings whereby the rights of parents who had either abandoned or proved themselves unfit to have 'custody of their children, could have all their parental rights terminated.”
Emc v. Svm, 695 So. 2d 576 (Miss. 1997). “In this case, adoption necessarily meant that Everett's parental rights would be terminated.”
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