The Importance Of Establishing Paternity In Texas
Why should you establish paternity in Texas? What do you need to do to establish paternity?
June 20, 2013
Under Texas laws, if a man and woman are not married and a child is born from their relationship, the child does not have a "legal" father. When this occurs, it is vital for the parents to sign an "Acknowledgement of Paternity" as soon as possible in order to protect both the child's and the father's legal rights.Completing the AOP at the time of birth is the easiest and most efficient way to handle the situation. If the parents complete the document at the hospital, the hospital will forward it to the Bureau of Vital Statistics, and the biological father will then become the child's legal father.
While that is a best-case scenario, there are times when paternity is contested. When this happens, the parties should review their options as soon as possible in order to resolve the situation for the sake of the child.
Paternity Tests
There are very accurate blood and DNA tests that can be conducted to determine whether a man is a child's biological father.
A blood test compares the blood types of the mother and father with that of the child's in order to determine the likelihood that the man is or is not the biological father. DNA testing, however, is a much more accurate test that looks at the genetic make-up of the child in comparison with the parent's genetic makeup.
Children receive half of their genes from their biological mother and half from their biological father, so if the DNA patterns match at every probe of the test, paternity is established.
Support And Benefits For The Child
Having paternity acknowledged or established should be of utmost importance to those who are considering the best interest of the child. For example, Texas law provides that a father cannot be made to pay child support until paternity has been established. This means that the child will not be able to have the financial support of his or her father, which not only includes money, but can also include health insurance or other benefits necessary for the child's well-being.
If you are in the midst of a paternity dispute or would like to establish paternity for your child, seek the advice of a Texas paternity lawyer.
Article provided by Kerr, Hendershot & Cannon, PC
Visit us at www.k-hpc.com