Paternity

Dallas Paternity Attorney J. Darlene Ewing is here to help.

Children born out of wedlock are entitled to the same right of support and parental relationship as children born during a marriage. The same rules regarding conservatorship, visitation child support and health insurance apply to children born of non-marital relationships. Fathers have the same rights to their children as husbands.

The first step is establishing the legal relationship. If a father is listed on the child’s birth certificate, he is presumed to be the father. If he has signed an acknowledgment of paternity, he is presumed to be the father. If he is not listed on the birth certificate or has not signed an acknowledgment, he must establish his paternity.

DNA testing is available for purposes of determining paternity. Any man who is sued for child support should always seek DNA testing. Even if a man has listed himself on a birth certificate, he can still request testing until a final order is entered. Men can file their own paternity suit if they believe they are the father of a child and wish to establish the parent-child relationship.