term:

Filiate

filiate vt

-at·ed
-at·ing
: to declare (a child) the descendant of a particular parent and esp. a father [has not been filiated by the initiative of the parent "Louisiana Civil Code"] compare acknowledge, legitimate NOTE: A child may be illegitimate but filiated. Both legitimation and acknowledgment filiate an illegitimate child. Adopted children are filiated by the adoption proceeding.

Source: Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law ©1996. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Published under license with Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.