When you bring a baby into this world, it can be the most amazing moment of your life. If you have had a child with someone you were not married to, you need first to establish paternity in order to assert your parental rights. It is crucial that you establish paternity as quickly as possible to avoid possible complications. Paternity ensures that you have asserted your parental rights so if you and the mother separate, you can get the court to establish custody and visitation for you and the child.
The Acknowledgment of Paternity Form
The process of establishing paternity in the McKinney court system may vary depending on the circumstances of your situation. One of the most common ways of establishing paternity is with an Acknowledgment of Paternity (AOP) form. Both the mother and father sign the AOP and then file it with the Texas Vital Statistics Unit. After it is filed, the father has all parental rights granted including his name on the birth certificate. Parents can fill out an AOP before or after the birth of the child. If the father isn’t at the hospital at the birth, couples can fill out an AOP at the Attorney General’s office or the county birth registrar’s office.
Court Order
An AOP form is not always applicable in establishing paternity. In instances where the mother or father have doubts about the paternity of the child, or if there are circumstances of family violence, they can establish paternity through the court. A father can open a case at the Attorney General’s office or hire a private attorney to complete the necessary paperwork.
If you need to establish paternity in the McKinney court system, contact the attorneys at Lucé Evans Law Firm online or call (972) 632-1300 to schedule your initial consultation today!
