Fort Worth Paternity Lawyer
File for Paternity in Texas
While maternity is established by birth, a man is often not considered to be the father of his child until legal action is taken. Until you are legally established as the father, you will have no parental rights such as visitation and custody.
At O’Neil Wysocki P.C., our experienced Fort Worth paternity attorneys have more than 155 years of combined experience with divorce and family law cases. When you retain our firm, you can expect dedicated representation from a lawyer who truly cares about helping you resolve your legal issues.
Need help establishing or refuting paternity? Call our firm today at (817) 332-2202 to learn how we can help.
The Four Types of Fathers
From a legal standpoint, there are four different types of fathers in Texas. This “status” of the father will determine the way suits and other disputes will be handled over issues like child custody, visitation, and child support. These four legal types of fathers are as follows:
- Presumed father – this is any father who is legally presumed to be the child’s father. Most commonly, this refers to men who were married to the birth mother at the time of the child’s birth.
- Acknowledged father – this refers to a man who has signed an Acknowledgment of Paternity, a document which establishes the man as the child’s legal father. This is typically signed at the hospital when the child is born, but may be signed later.
- Adjudicated father – if the paternity of a father is determined in court, typically through a paternity suit, they are considered an adjudicated father. This may also apply to fathers who were married at the time of the birth, but have since divorced the mother.
- Alleged father – this term is typically used when one party is claiming, or alleging, that another party is the child’s birth father. The person who alleges paternity will be responsible for proving their claims, most commonly through DNA testing.
Call (817) 332-2202 For Experienced Representation
Whether you are a father trying to spend more time with your children, a man who has been falsely labeled as a father, or a mother seeking child support, our firm has the knowledge and skill you need on your side. With more than two centuries of combined experience under their belts, our Fort Worth paternity lawyers are ready to take on even the most complex case.
Contact us today to request a confidential consultation.