how do child custody laws work in Texas if you and your ex are not dating currently and were never married?
An ex-girlfriend and I are having a child together but she doesnt live near me. How would visitation rights be established or what would the rights of the male be?
First, you have to establish paternity. If she’s cooperative, this is as easy as both of you signing an acknowledgment of paternity, which puts you as the father on the birth certificate and gives you all the rights any father has. The hospital has this form and will provide it to you and explain what signing it means. If she doesn’t cooperate, you have to file a paternity suit and force her to submit the baby for genetic testing.
Once paternity is established, you and/or she could file in court to get a custody/visitation order. Alternatively, you could simply make an arrangement for visitation by agreeing with each other, but doing this means that you have no recourse if she prevents you from visiting or otherwise changes the agreement.
June 26th, 2010 at 6:32 am
Each parent of a child has parental rights regardless if they were married or not and regardless if they are together or not. If the two of you can not work out a custody and support plan you will need to get a lawyer and take the issue to court.
If you can agree get the agreement written up and file it with the court. If everyone agrees then the lawyer to do this would not be very expensive. you may also be able to get a paralegal to complete the forms.
References :
June 26th, 2010 at 6:54 am
First, you have to establish paternity. If she’s cooperative, this is as easy as both of you signing an acknowledgment of paternity, which puts you as the father on the birth certificate and gives you all the rights any father has. The hospital has this form and will provide it to you and explain what signing it means. If she doesn’t cooperate, you have to file a paternity suit and force her to submit the baby for genetic testing.
Once paternity is established, you and/or she could file in court to get a custody/visitation order. Alternatively, you could simply make an arrangement for visitation by agreeing with each other, but doing this means that you have no recourse if she prevents you from visiting or otherwise changes the agreement.
References :