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If you want peace of mind about the paternity of your child, call Sisemore Law Firm, P.C. Our passionate and dedicated attorneys are here to help you obtain a court order for paternity tests.
Paternity suits are an important aspect of family and divorce law practices because of the parental rights and responsibilities that accompany the court determination. In some cases, an individual who is found to be a child’s father may be held responsible for child support payments. In others, an individual may seek to assert paternity to obtain custody or visitation rights.
In cases where a couple is not married at the time a child is born, questions sometimes arise as to the paternity of the child. Where paternity is contested, a court can order genetic testing. The legal parent of a child has the right to custody or visitation, as well as a legal obligation to provide child support. Once paternity is established, a court can make orders regarding child support, custody and visitation.
The Texas Uniform Parentage Act establishes the guidelines by which a court can determine paternity. A man is presumed to be the father of a child in several circumstances, most often if he was married to the mother of the child when the child was born, soon after the child was born or less than 300 days prior to the child’s birth. If a man in these situations denies the father-child relationship, he must rebut the presumption by providing evidence that he is not the father.
Many paternity claims involve a mother seeking to prove the father-child relationship so that she can obtain child support payments from the alleged father. Absent any other establishment of the father-child relationship, such as acknowledgment or adoption, the most common means by which paternity is proven is through a genetic test. The child and the alleged father will be required to submit a genetic sample, typically a blood sample, which will then be tested to determine if the individual is actually the child’s biological father.
In some cases, a paternity issue arises when a father wishes to be declared the child’s biological parent in order to gain parental rights. If you were never married to the child’s mother and she is contesting your parental relationship with the child, we can bring a claim to determine fatherhood and establish your right to be a part of the child’s life, typically in the form of court-ordered visitation rights.
Our experienced Fort Worth family attorneys can help you resolve a paternity dispute and establish the rights and responsibilities of each parent. Contact Sisemore Law Firm, P.C., at (817) 336-4444 today for a consultation.
