The Houston Family Law Blog


What If the Father Does Not Acknowledge Paternity?

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When a father does not want to acknowledge paternity in Texas, the mother can contact the Office of the Attorney General or Houston family law attorney to get a child support case opened up in the courts. Through the Office of the Attorney General, the mother can provide information about the alleged father (place of employment, social security number, etc.) so that authorities can track him down.

The father then might be subjected to a paternity test. Texas family courts will then look at the results of the paternity test and at other evidence that could link the father to the child. When a man believes that the child of question is not his, then he can hire a family law attorney for defense in a paternity suit.

The establishment of paternity does not always have to be complicated. The process can actually be quite simple if there's an agreement on who the biological father is. In Texas, the Office of the Attorney General reports that the mother and father can quickly establish paternity just by signing an Acknowledgment of Paternity (AOP), which is then filed by the Bureau of Vital Statistics. Once the father signs the AOP, he becomes the legal father.

The establishment of paternity is often the first step in other family law proceedings, such as child support or child custody cases. FindLaw states that paternity establishment also secures the right to inherit and the right to access personal information about the known health risks and profiles of the paternal family.

Related Resources:

  • Chronology: Establishing Paternity (FindLaw)
  • Look for a Houston Family Law Attorney (FindLaw)
  • Paternity Determinations: Voluntary and Formal Proceedings (FindLaw)

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