Presumption of legitimacy
Encyclopedia
The presumption of legitimacy is a common law
Common law
Common law is law developed by judges through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive branch action...

 rule of evidence that states that a child born within the subsistence of a marriage is deemed to be the child of the husband.

Early history

Paternity has been considered a historically important issue in determining the rules of succession
Law of succession
Laws of succession govern the order of succession to various monarchies. Some laws of succession include:-United Kingdom:*British succession**Act of Settlement 1701-France:*Kings of France**Salic law* Legitimist claimants to the throne of France...

. Illegitimate children
Bastard (Law of England and Wales)
A bastard in the law of England and Wales is a person whose parents, at the time of his/her birth, were not married to each other....

 were originally debarred from inheriting a monarchy, title
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...

or property.
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