Texas fathers who have been alienated from their children and shut out of their lives completely due to the legal establishment of paternity can initiate their rights. By beginning this process, they establish their parental rights and legal claim on the child. The lack of a name on the birth certificate doesn’t nullify their rights as a parent; it simply implies that the mother chose not to provide them with that right. If you wish to start this process, you should begin by visiting the Lee Law Firm Dallas today.
How to Establish Paternity:
Step 1: Initiate Discovery
Discovery is a process to find out information related to any unknown connections you have with the child. Through discovery, you establish whether the biological mother has filed a claim for child support through the county court or local welfare office. Each department requires that the mother provide them with the name of the natural father.
The purpose of this requirement is to allow the court to collect the distributed child support payments from the father. Unfortunately, if the mother has filed for these benefits, you won’t receive notification until the value is significantly high and they can take legal action against you.
Step 2: Petition the Mother for DNA Testing
File a petition to request that the mother bring the child to the court for DNA testing. The Lee Law Firm Dallas can help you with this task. While you can file this request, the mother isn’t required to honor it. This is simply a formal request, it isn’t a court order or a paternity suit. This is the first step for acquiring proof that you are the father. However, all the mother has to do is identify another man as the child’s father. If she isn’t receiving child support through a benefits program, you cannot establish paternity beyond your word over hers.
Step 3: Filing a Paternity Suit
File a paternity suit with the county court. By filing this claim, you are declaring that you are the father of the child and you are seeking damages for the time you have lost with this child. The court requires the mother to bring the child for DNA testing. Failure to comply implies that the father’s claim is valid.
