Paternity Attorney in Spring

Board-Certified Leadership & More Than 25 Years in Texas Family Law

Founder Ruby Bolton is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Our firm brings more than 25 years of Texas family law experience to cases involving parental rights, child custody, child support, parenting schedules, and paternity.

We concentrate on Texas family law rather than operating as a general practice firm. That focus allows us to examine a parentage determination alongside the other orders a family may need.

What to Bring to Your Paternity Consultation

Our first meeting focuses on the immediate parentage question, any existing orders or documents, and whether a parenting plan also requires attention. The appropriate path often depends on whether the parties agree about legal parentage and which related issues remain disputed.

Information that may help us assess your case includes:

• Birth information: The child’s date and place of birth and the names on the birth certificate
• Parentage documents: Any signed Acknowledgment of Paternity or other document concerning legal parentage
• Existing orders: Court orders involving custody, possession and access, or child support
• Parent communications: Relevant messages about parentage, testing, parenting time, or financial support
• Care history: Records showing each person’s involvement in the child’s life

How Texas Law Establishes Legal Parentage

As general information, Texas provides both voluntary and court-based paths for establishing parentage. The appropriate process may depend on the parents’ marital status, whether a presumed father exists, and whether the parties agree about the child’s parentage.

Acknowledgment of Paternity

An Acknowledgment of Paternity is a legal document that eligible unmarried biological parents may voluntarily sign to establish paternity. Once properly completed and filed, it generally has the legal effect of a court determination and gives the acknowledged father parental rights and duties, subject to exceptions under the Texas Family Code.

Signing this document shouldn’t be treated as a routine administrative step. The grounds and deadlines for rescinding or challenging an acknowledgment may be limited, so anyone with doubts should seek legal guidance before signing.

Suit to Adjudicate Parentage

A Suit to Adjudicate Parentage is a court proceeding used to determine whether a legal parent-child relationship exists. If the parties disagree or a voluntary acknowledgment isn’t available, the court may order genetic testing and enter a parentage determination under the Texas Family Code.

Parenting Orders After Parentage Is Established

Establishing legal parentage doesn’t automatically resolve every parenting issue. Parents may still need an agreement or court order addressing conservatorship, possession and access, decision-making, and child support.

Conservatorship is the Texas legal framework for parental rights and duties, including certain decisions about a child. Possession and access govern when each parent spends time with the child. Although these questions are connected to parentage, they require separate analysis based on the family’s circumstances and applicable law.

When a Parentage Dispute May Require Court Action

Legal guidance may be useful when:

• The parties disagree about the identity of the child’s biological or legal father.
• A presumed father may exist because of marriage or another circumstance recognized by Texas law.
• Someone disputes or seeks to challenge a signed Acknowledgment of Paternity.
• A party refuses to cooperate with requested or court-ordered genetic testing.
• Parentage has been established, but custody, possession and access, or child support remains unresolved.

In some circumstances, the Texas Paternity Registry may preserve a man’s assertion that he could be a child’s father. Registration alone doesn’t establish legal paternity, so further legal steps may be necessary.

Clarify Your Next Step in a Parentage Matter

Schedule a consultation with one of our paternity lawyers to discuss whether your situation involves a voluntary acknowledgment, a contested parentage proceeding, or related parenting and support orders. We can identify the issues that may require legal action and explain what to expect next.