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Paternity Determination Lawyers in Dallas

Serving Clients in Dallas, Collin County, Denton County & Tarrant County

Unmarried parents may need to seek paternity determination for various reasons. Paternity may be tied to large family assets, inheritances, and more. For unmarried mothers seeking child support, paternity must be established before a support claim can be made. Conversely, an unmarried father may wish to play a major role in his child’s life. However, he will not be able to seek custody rights without first establishing his biological parenthood. Even in the case of married parents, paternity may arise as an issue that needs to be resolved.

At Connatser Family Law, we have worked successfully with both men and women in proving and disproving paternity. As a practice that is focused solely on Texas family law, we are well-versed in the court actions necessary to help Texans get the solutions they need. With extensive experience shared by our attorneys throughout their various and many years in practice and the expertise of Texas Family Law Specialists on board, you can expect exceptional knowledge, skill, and effectiveness in resolving your paternity case.

Book a confidential case analysis with a Dallas paternity determination attorney at Connatser Family Law using our convenient contact form or by calling { F:P:Sub:Phone} today.

Paternity Determination in Texas

Paternity can be established at the time of the child’s birth by both parents signing an Acknowledgment of Paternity form. This is commonly done at the hospital or it may be signed later and sent to the Vital Statistics Unit in Austin. Once it is filed there, the father becomes the child’s legal parent and the father’s name is added to the child’s birth certificate. This is known as “voluntary” paternity.

Involuntary paternity occurs when a petition is filed with the court, usually by the mother. This petition is a “Petition to Adjudicate Parentage.” This involves a court hearing and DNA testing of the father, which has a 99 percent probability rate. Once paternity is verified through the courts, it allows 1. An unmarried mother to seek enforceable child support through the court and 2. An unmarried father to seek child custody and/or visitation rights through the court. 

If a father fails to respond to a paternity petition, the court can declare him the father by “default.” Furthermore, if a man discovers through DNA testing that he is not the child’s biological parent, he can petition the court to terminate the legal parent-child relationship under Texas Family Code Section 161005. This frees him from being mandated to pay child support. Even a father who has signed an Acknowledgement of Paternity at the hospital has the right to challenge paternity through DNA testing at a later date. 

Why You Need a Dallas Paternity Lawyer

Men are taking a bigger role in their children’s lives and, because of this, paternity has become an important issue in society. For some parents, the economic stakes can be high. This involves not only child support payments that can involve thousands of dollars but the matter of inheritances in wealthy families that be worth millions. At Connatser Family Law, we have experience in paternity law and use the most advanced methods to prove or disprove a man’s fatherhood. 

Our job is to solve problems. That may involve going to court, reaching a settlement, or taking a more patient approach. All of these strategies can resolve a dispute on terms favorable to the client.

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