Paternity Attorney in Corpus Christi, Texas

Establishing a parent-child relationship is often necessary for discovering the paternity of the child, which will carry certain responsibilities for the father.

Texas uses the Uniform Parentage Act, which sets out three ways to establish paternity:

• Marriage to the mother at the time of birth
• After termination of the marriage, a child is born within 300 days
• The man lives with the child for the first two years and claims the child as his own

Any of these three methods is sufficient for a presumption of fatherhood. If any of them exist, there must be some contrary evidence to refute the claim of paternity. This may include:

• another man claiming the child as his own
• a contrary court determination within four years of birth
• the man did not live with or have sexual relations with the mother prior to the time of birth

Without any of these rebuttals, the father will have the responsibility for child support until the child reaches 18 years old.

The court will determine the amount, using guidelines of 20% for one child and 25% for two children, with 5% more for each additional child.

Due to this financial burden, the decree of paternity is a serious matter, and some courts will order genetic or DNA testing to give a high probability conclusion of paternity.

The use of DNA testing and the facts and testimony of others involved make establishing a parent-child relationship legally complex.

If you are part of a paternity suit, you will need the services of an accomplished attorney who knows how family law is applied in Texas, and the key elements of paternity.

Bobby Bourlon can be relied on to represent you in the investigation and court procedures of a paternity suit. To make sure that your rights and responsibilities are based in fact, he will guide you in the process from start to finish.

Please call today for a free consultation with Paternity Attorney at 361-289-6040.