• Home
  • About
    ▼
    • About Nancy
    • Client Testimonials
  • Practice Areas
    ▼
    • Divorce
    • Property Division
    • Child Custody & Parenting Plans
    • Child Support & Paternity
    • Child Protective Services Defense Attorney
    • Enforcement & Modifications
    • Pre- and Post- Marital Agreements
    • Grandparents Rights and Termination
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Whittemore Law Firm

Divorce Attorney in The Woodlands & Houston, TX

832-215-3706
832-215-3706
Request an Appointment
  • Home
  • About
    • About Nancy
    • Client Testimonials
  • Practice Areas
    • Divorce
    • Property Division
    • Child Custody & Parenting Plans
    • Child Support & Paternity
    • Child Protective Services Defense Attorney
    • Enforcement & Modifications
    • Pre- and Post- Marital Agreements
    • Grandparents Rights and Termination
  • Blog
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Family Law / Child Support & Paternity

Child Support & Paternity

Child support in Texas is designed to ensure that children have adequate financial support and that the parents share in the financial responsibilities of the children. Generally, the noncustodial parent pays support to the custodial parent based on that parent’s ability to pay.

If the parents of a child were never married, there are many reasons why a father should establish paternity of his child. Children want to know who their father is and establishing paternity gives both the child and the parent important rights they otherwise would not have.

A child will obtain access to important medical information of his father that can help doctors diagnose certain genetic diseases and possibly help with treatment and prevention. Additionally, a child may be entitled to certain benefits; such as Social Security, veteran’s benefits, health care, or other governmental benefits. Establishing paternity allows a child to inherit through her father and have health insurance coverage through the father’s health insurance policy. A father can share in custody, take part in making decisions for the child, and have possession time with his child when he establishes himself as the legal father of the child.

Establishing Paternity for Child Support

To obtain child support from a father that is not the mother’s husband, she must prove he is the father of the child. When a married couple have a child, both of their names are on the birth certificate, and the husband is the presumed father. When parents are not married to each other, the father’s paternity must be established.

The easiest solution to establish paternity is at the time of birth; the parents can each sign a form called “Acknowledgment of Paternity” while at the hospital. The father’s name will appear on the birth certificate, the hospital will forward the signed documents to the appropriate office, and the man will be the legal father of the child.

Court Ordered Paternity Testing

In some cases, a mother is not sure who the father is, or the alleged father denies that he is the biological father. DNA testing can be done to confirm paternity of the father, but it may take a court proceeding to order DNA testing and establish paternity of the father. When paternity is established in this way, it gives the court authority to order the father to pay child support.

For a free 20-minute consultation, Contact the Whittemore Law Firm at 832-215-3706

Whittemore Law Firm is dedicated to helping clients navigate difficult family law and divorce issues. Whittemore Law Firm serves clients in The Woodlands, Conroe, Montgomery County, Houston, Harris County, and throughout the surrounding area. If you need help, contact Whittemore Law Firm now and benefit from more nearly 25 years of family law experience so we can help make sure you get a fair resolution.

Primary Sidebar

Nancy Whittemore
Nancy Whittemore

10 best femail attorney award - client satisfaction

top 20 attorney by Attorney and Practice Magazine

Client Testimonials

Guidance and Encouragement

"I just want to take the time to thank you for helping me through a very difficult and challenging … [Read More...] about Guidance and Encouragement

Footer

Whittemore Law Firm

Office (by appointment only):
2203 Timberloch Place, Suite 100
The Woodlands, TX 77380

Mailing address:
4747 Research Forest Dr.
Suite 180-111
The Woodlands, TX 77381
832-215-3706

Serving the Following Areas

The Woodlands
Conroe
Spring
Tomball
New Caney
Montgomery County
Houston
Harris County
and the surrounding areas
Disclaimer
The contents of this website does not imply legal advice or counsel and does not establish an attorney/client relationship. Please contact us for information on our policies regarding any relationship with clients, potential clients, or non-clients of our firm.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Top Ten from Attorney and Practice Magazine10 best femail attorney award - client satisfaction

Copyright © 2023 Whittemore Law Firm - All Rights Reserved

· · ·

Web Design by The Crouch Group

Log in