“Paternity” means legal fatherhood and establishing it will benefit the father, the child, and the whole family. While paternity is automatically established if both parents are married when the child is born, the father must establish paternity if he isn’t married to his child’s mother when the child is born. A paternity action may be filed by either parent to prove or disprove paternity and/or to establish child support obligations, which is why it is important to hire an experienced family law attorney.
Gutheinz Law Firm, LLP, is committed to helping biological fathers and mothers establish or disprove paternity. Our Pearland paternity lawyers have more than three decades of collective legal experience to help our clients navigate the intricacies of Texas family law and obtain the most favorable outcome possible.
A parent can establish paternity in Texas either voluntarily—by signing a form called, “Acknowledgement of Paternity”—or involuntary through court litigation.
When the father and mother agree that the father is a biological parent, both parents must sign the form mentioned above. Although this is typically done at the hospital when the child is born, you can obtain the form at the hospital, the local birth registrar, the Vital Statistics Unit, or at the Attorney General’s Child Support Office.
On the other hand, involuntary establishment of paternity takes place in court since one parent disputes the matter. If the father fails to appear in court, he is subject to a “default order” by the judge, which automatically makes him the legal father. If the father appears and disputes paternity, the judge may order a DNA test to determine paternity.
Our legal team can evaluate your case, listen to your concerns, and determine all your legal options to establish or disprove paternity. Do not wait to let us protect your rights and best interests.
Contact us for more information today.
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