FATHER'S RIGHTS IN TEXAS
Facts:
One out of every three children born in Texas involve
parents who are not married. A child born in Texas to a man and woman
who are not married has no legal father. This means that the
father has NO legal rights to the child. There are two ways that a
father can establish his rights to his child. The first is for the
parents to file an Acknowledgment of Paternity (AOP) with the Texas
Bureau of Vital Statistics. The
second is to file a Suit to Establish Paternity with the Courts.
Acknowledgment of Paternity (AOP)
If the father is at the hospital at the time the child is born, the
hospital will require both parents to sign an AOP before they will allow
the father's name to be listed on the birth certificate. The
hospital is required to file the AOP with the Texas Bureau of Vital
Statistics. This document establishes that the man listed on AOP
is the legal father of the child, but does not grant the father any
special access to the child, nor does it establish any child support for
the mother.
Suit to Establish Paternity
A man who has not filed an AOP can file a paternity lawsuit which
requests the Court to establish that he is in fact the father of the
child. The Courts will usually require a DNA test to prove the man is
the biological father. After the DNA test shows that the man is
the biological father, the man may then request the following:
1. |
Access to your
Child |
2. |
A Court Ordered
Visitation and Possession schedule with your child or Request
Primary Custody. |
3. |
An amendment to
the birth certificate to change the child's last name to the
father's last name. |
4. |
Joint and
Shared Managing Conservatorship rights to the child.
Access to Educational and School Records, Access to Medical
Records, Doctors, Psychologists. The Right to direct the
moral and religious training of the child, and more. See
Conservatorship. |
Truth and Challenges
Unmarried fathers have an uphill fight to gain access to their children.
Our office is often asked about access to the children and asked to help
establish a father's rights. It is not uncommon for the mother to refuse
to allow access to the child after the parents have separated.
Even if the parents have been together for a long period of time, the
father does NOT automatically have any right to possession of the
children. The police will NOT help you get visitation or
possession of your children. The Texas Attorney General's office
is only interested in getting the father to pay child support, and will
NOT enforce the father's access or visitation with the children.
Fathers
can only gain access to their children after paternity has been
established. The ONLY route for a father to insure continuing
access and possession to the child is through the Courts. Len
Conner and Associates routinely files paternity suits to establish a
father's rights, access, and visitation with his children. You CAN
win primary custody of your child. We can help! Call us NOW
to explain how!
Court Ordered Visitation and Possession
As a father, you have the absolute right under Texas Law to either
Standard
Visitation, or
Expanded Standard Visitation. You also have the right to
request Primary Custody of your child. But, visitation,
possession, and custody only come after you have applied for a Court
Order. Call us to explain how we can help you insure ALL of your
rights as a father and help you get Court Ordered Possession of
your child.
For a
private confidential consultation
to discuss your legal matter with an experienced Texas Family
Law and Paternity Lawyer, please call us at
(972) 445-1500.
BE PREPARED - CALL NOW! |
Do Not Wait to Establish Your Rights
Whether you are a father or
you are about to be a father you have certain legal rights and obligations
towards your child. However, waiting to establish these rights will only make it
more difficult to gain access to the children. The sooner you act, the
easier it is for the Court to issue a Court Order insuring your time with
the children. If you delay, the Texas Attorney General's office will
likely file a lawsuit against you and request up to FOUR YEARS of
retroactive or back child support with minimal visitation.
Call us Today! 972-445-1500.
Tools
To discuss your divorce or family law
matter with Mr. Conner, an experienced Dallas-Fort Worth lawyer,
please call us at
972-445-1500
to schedule a private consultation.
For additional
information about our law firm and the benefits of retaining Mr.
Conner's services, please visit our
Benefits of
Retaining Len Conner & Associates
page.
Cities we Serve:
Dallas County | Tarrant County
Irving | Dallas | Cedar Hill | Mesquite | Garland | Grand
Prairie | Las Colinas | Richardson | Plano | Highland Park |
Arlington | Hurst | Euless | Bedford | Southlake | Grapevine
Colleyville | Coppell | Fort Worth
| Park Cities | Duncanville | Desoto |
We hope the information provided here is helpful. Please call our
office with any questions you may have. Unless otherwise indicated,
attorneys listed in this site are not certified by the Texas Board of
Legal Specialization. This web site is designed for general
information only. The information at this site should not be
construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client
relationship.
FULLY
LICENSED BY THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT
Admitted to the US Federal Courts, Northern District of TX
Member of the Texas Family Law
Section of the Texas State Bar Association
Member - Dallas
County Bar Association - Family Law Section
Member - Tarrant
County Family Law Bar Association |
|