Protecting Your Parental Rights

For decades, claims regarding paternity largely boiled down to who could argue the most persuasive case in court. Today, that is not the case. With the introduction of blood and DNA tests, science allows paternity to be determined with virtually 100 percent accuracy. The result can mean a decisive victory for men who have been denied their parental rights and for women who have been unable to collect financial support from biological fathers who denied parentage. Legally determining the father is not as difficult as it used to be. In courts in Texas, proof of paternity is the only thing that will allow a court order to require a parent to pay child support. For many reasons, a consultation with a paternity lawyer in Texas is an important step for parents.

Determining Biological Parents in Texas

Even with scientific tests proving paternity, answering the question, “Who is the father?” is not always straightforward. In court, paternity will be acknowledged, presumed, or adjudicated. A father is presumed to be the parent if the parties are married at the time the child is born or if the father consented to be listed on the child’s birth certificate. A presumed father is assumed to be the father unless he or the mother proves otherwise in court. An adjudicated, presumed, or acknowledged father is legally obligated to support his children financially.

Other legal classifications of non-traditional parents include:

• Equitable Parent — When someone in the child’s life plays a parent-like role but is not an adoptive parent or biologically related to the child. An equitable parent is often a close family friend.
• Alleged Father — An unwed man who has a biological child is an alleged father (or unwed father) and is required to pay child support to the mother. Unwed fathers have rights to visitation and custody.
• Step Parent — When the mother or father legally weds a new spouse who is not biologically related to the child. It is not uncommon for stepparents to adopt their stepchildren.

In cases of Texas paternity, Goranson Bain Ausley lawyers have a wealth of experience helping clients prove or disprove claims of paternity — both with and without resorting to litigation. Our attorneys have more than 30 years of experience working in family law. With a little help from modern tests, our Texas paternity attorneys can help hold the father or mother of your child legally responsible for contributing financially. If you are an unmarried parent trying to establish parental rights or if you are a mother seeking to receive child support from an assumed father, do not delay in contacting an experienced paternity lawyer from our Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Granbury, Midland, or Plano office.

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If you are facing a legal matter regarding paternity, we are here to help. Please get in touch with us by completing the form below.