Husbands and wives who have children together and then separate or divorce might have many legal issues to deal with, but their rights and duties as parents will be acknowledged by the state of Texas as inherent. When children are born out of wedlock, these rights need to be established and this is often done voluntarily, but there is a process in place to settle paternity disputes should there be a disagreement between the two parties involved. 

When both the mother and the father agree concerning the parentage of the man, one way to establish legal parentage is through legitimation, which is by getting married. Short of this they can choose to fill out and sign an Acknowledgement of Paternity form and file it with the Bureau of Vital Statistics. This form can be obtained in the maternity sections of hospitals and medical centers throughout the state and many people will establish paternity via the execution of this document before they ever leave the hospital. However, if you do not file the form while you are still at the hospital it can be obtained any time after that at the county birth registrar's office, the Bureau of Vital Statistics, or the Attorney General's Child Support Office.

There are of course paternity cases that are disputed, and this often takes place when a man is being asked to pay child support and he refuses based on the assertion that he is not the father of the child. However, the reverse situation occasionally comes into play when a man is being denied visitation rights because the mother of the child in question claims that he is not the father. In either case, the interested party can open a child support case with the Attorney General's Office, and it is very likely that a genetic test will be ordered to settle the matter one way or another. 

If you have questions or concerns about child visitation, legitimation, and paternity, contact a San Antonio TX custody lawyer to arrange for a free consultation. The best divorce lawyer San Antonio TX will give you the help you need with all aspects of a San Antonio TX divorce.