Helping Clients With Paternity And Guardianships

Most people without legal training or experience think of paternity cases and guardianships as extremely complicated legal concepts. However, if you are interested in establishing a guardianship or determining paternity in a divorce case, these are important concepts that will have a tremendous impact on your future and your family.

I am Christopher Miller, a Texas family law attorney who helps those in the greater Weatherford area. With a wealth of legal experience, I help clients establish paternity and guardianships. Because I have experience and knowledge in this area, I can explain your rights and options and make sure you know what’s happening in the legal process.

Paternity

The need to determine paternity often comes into play in divorce, separation and child custody and support negotiations. When a father is seeking parenting time with a child, in some cases he needs to prove definitively that he is the biological father of the child. In child support situations, it is usually in the mother’s interest to prove that a certain man is the father of the child in order to make sure he is obligated to make support payments.

When a child is born to married parents, the legal presumption is that the husband of the mother is the father of the child. In non-married situations, paternity is not presumed and needs to be established medically and legally through a DNA test.

Although the process can be complicated and involved, I can advise you through it and make sure your rights and interests are protected.

Child Guardianships

There are two basic types of guardianships: guardianship of the person and guardianship of the estate. Both of these are established as a way to transfer authority and responsibility in the event that the person establishing the guardianship cannot.

A child guardianship is established by parents who want to make sure their children are well taken care of in the event that the parents pass on. A guardianship of this kind is usually part of a comprehensive estate planning strategy.

Guardianship of a child can also be established even if one of the parents does not consent. This usually occurs in stepparent situations after a divorce or if one or both of the parents have voluntarily terminated their parental rights or have been deemed unfit by the court.

Either way, a guardianship of a child establishes a person (the guardian) to care for a minor child (the ward) if that child’s parents are unable to do so themselves.

I have a thorough understanding of all aspects of guardianships in Texas. I can answer your questions and provide valuable counsel throughout the process.

Contact The Law Office of Christopher J. Miller

To schedule a consultation, call me at 682-350-2631 or fill out the contact form.