Paternity Attorney in Katy, TX
Over 40 Years in Fort Bend County Family Courts. Paternity Cases Handled at Every Level.
A paternity case puts three things on the line at once: a child’s access to financial support, a father’s right to be present, and a family structure already under strain. I’ve practiced family law in the Fort Bend County courts since 1980, and I represent both fathers seeking to establish parental rights and parents responding to paternity claims. Whether your case settles through an agreed order or requires a contested hearing, you’ll work with an attorney who knows these courts and has handled paternity matters at every level of complexity.
My preference is to resolve paternity cases through negotiation. Agreed orders give you more control over support, conservatorship, and parenting time than a judge’s ruling can. When the other side isn’t reasonable, I’m prepared to litigate. Either way, you’re assigned a dedicated legal assistant from day one so you have a consistent point of contact.
If you’re facing a paternity matter in the Katy area, call Tracton Law Firm, PLLC at (281) 962-7738 to schedule an initial consultation and discuss your options.
Why Katy-Area Clients Choose Tracton Law Firm, PLLC
I’m a third-generation attorney admitted to the Texas Bar in 1980, with over 40 years of family law practice centered in Fort Bend County, where many Katy-area paternity cases are filed. I founded the Family Bar of Fort Bend and serve as its Current Director, which reflects the relationships and standing I’ve built within the local court system over decades.
H Magazine has recognized me as one of the Top Family Lawyers since 2011 and one of the Top Lawyers in Houston since 2012. The firm carries a 90% success rate on tried cases, though past outcomes don’t predict future results. I’ve also raised seven children, including biological children, stepchildren, adopted children, and children with disabilities and special needs. That personal context shapes how I approach the custody and support decisions that follow a paternity determination.
How Texas Law Establishes Paternity
Biology alone doesn’t create a legal father-child relationship in Texas. Formal establishment through a recognized pathway is required before a child gains any legal claim to support, inheritance, or the father’s medical history. The Texas Family Code recognizes three main pathways.
Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity (AOP)
Both parents sign an AOP form through an AOP-certified entity, which files it with the Texas Vital Statistics Unit. This can be completed at the hospital at birth or afterward through a certified entity such as a local birth registrar or child support office. It establishes legal fatherhood without a court order or DNA testing.
Presumed Paternity
Texas law presumes a man to be the legal father when he’s married to the child’s mother at the time of birth, and his name goes on the birth certificate automatically. Challenging that presumption outside of court requires a Denial of Paternity signed by the presumed father, combined with an Acknowledgment of Paternity signed by the biological father and the mother. Both forms must be filed with the Texas Vital Statistics Unit.
Court-Ordered DNA Testing
When paternity is disputed, either parent or the state may file a petition, and the judge can order genetic testing. If results confirm biological fatherhood, the court issues an order adjudicating paternity and the birth certificate is updated. Texas law also allows for paternity disestablishment when a man believes he has been wrongly identified as the legal father and may be paying child support based on incorrect information.
Rights & Responsibilities After Paternity Is Established
Once paternity is legally established, the father gains the right to seek conservatorship and possession and takes on the obligation to provide financial support. Child support can’t be ordered against an unmarried father until paternity is settled. The child also gains the right to access the father’s medical history, inherit from him, and receive applicable government or insurance benefits.
Possession and visitation schedules are set according to the Texas Family Code and calibrated to the child’s best interests. In blended-family circumstances, paternity questions can intersect with stepparent adoption, termination of parental rights, or modification of existing custody orders. I handle the conservatorship, support, and visitation proceedings that follow directly from a paternity determination, so clients don’t need to transfer to a different attorney once fatherhood is established.
Paternity Cases in Fort Bend County Family Courts
For most Katy-area residents, paternity cases are heard at the Fort Bend County Justice Center in Richmond, which houses the dedicated family district courts that handle these actions. I’ve practiced before these courts since 1980. Some Katy residents whose address falls within Harris County will have their case filed there instead. The correct venue depends on the county of residence of the parties, and I can help you identify which court applies to your situation.
An agreed paternity order can address support, conservatorship, and parenting time in a single proceeding, reducing the number of court appearances required. That’s the outcome I work toward whenever the other side is willing. When they aren’t, I’m ready to take the matter to a hearing. My goal as a paternity lawyer serving Katy and the surrounding Fort Bend County communities is to pursue a resolution that protects your rights and your child’s stability without drawing the process out longer than necessary.
Schedule a Paternity Consultation for Your Katy Case
An initial consultation gives us the chance to review the facts of your situation, answer your questions, and walk through your options. The conversation stays focused on practical next steps, not general information.
Tracton Law Firm, PLLC serves clients throughout Fort Bend County and surrounding communities, including Katy. To speak with a paternity attorney about your case, call (281) 962-7738 or reach out through the contact form.