Unmarried parents can face the same legal issues regarding their children as married couples do when ending their relationships. This includes matters of child custody, parenting time and child support. Oftentimes, an unmarried mother will keep her children from their father. Other times, an unmarried father does not willingly contribute child support to his children’s mother. When disputes such as these arise, it is important to contact a family law attorney to ensure that your legal and parental rights are protected.
Paternity And Father’s Rights In Texas
Paternity is the area of law that deals with the rights of unmarried parents. Perhaps the biggest issue to arise in this area is an unmarried father’s rights to fair parenting time and/or custody of his children. In most cases, it is not disputed that a particular unmarried male is the father of a child. The problem arises because the mother will not allow the father to see his children or refuses to grant fair and ample parenting time. In these cases, the first step would be for the father to request the mother sign an Acknowledge of Paternity and file with the Bureau of Vital Statistics. If this important document is not filed with the Bureau, there is a way to terminate the father’s parental rights. However, regardless of whether or not the mother will sign and file this document, each father should have a lawyer on his side.
If the mother alleges that the male in question is not the children’s father, DNA testing may be necessary to prove he is the biological father.
Protect Yourself And Your Children
Regardless of the paternity issue that you face, attorney Paula Lock Smyth can help. As a Dallas paternity attorney, she has more than 25 years of legal experience and has helped countless parents protect their parental and financial rights. Everyone on our legal team knows that your children are the most important people in the world to you. And we understand that is not just a legal issue for you. While we focus on effective and efficient legal results, we never forget the human aspect of each matter.
We invite you to contact our law firm to learn how we can help resolve your paternity issue relating to a child custody dispute or child support dispute. With a strong background in mediation and collaborative divorce, Ms. Lock Smyth has a track record of securing favorable outcomes without the need for an expensive and time-consuming trial.