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Texas man owes child support for a child that is not his

On Behalf of | Aug 2, 2017 | Child Support |

The birth of a child is often a wondrous and highly anticipated event for the parents. Planning and preparing for the arrival of the newest member of the family can be an exciting time when names and nursery colors are chosen. For some Texas residents, the situation may be less than perfect when the sweet bundle of joy makes his or her appearance. The parents may be in the process of a divorce or if the parents weren’t married, the relationship may have recently ended, leaving the primary caregiver seeking child support and/or a custody agreement.

A Texas man is baffled at his recent court dealings when he learned that he has to pay over $65,000 in back child support. He was served papers by a local deputy only last year that claimed he has another child with an ex-girlfriend. Child support payments began to be automatically taken out of his check, and he sought a paternity test, which found that the child was not his biological child. Apparently, he has only met her on one occasion.

The 45-year-old man is currently raising his own three children along with two of his nephews. According to Texas Family Code Article 161, it does not matter if the child is not his biologically. The absent parent is legally responsible for the child support payments up until a paternity test proves otherwise. Because the child’s mother claimed the Texas man was the father, regardless of his presence at the birth and affirmation of such a claim, a court has determined that he is financially responsible. The man must either pay what the state says he owes or face time behind bars, though it remains to be seen if a judge will reopen the case based upon the results of the paternity testing.

In Texas, child support laws can be a bit tricky to understand, especially if one has never had to navigate such issues. Obtaining or, as in the above case, disputing a child support order may take legal expertise. Enlisting the help of an experienced family law attorney can help those in need of legal assistance understand their options under the law.

Source: foxnews.com, “Texas man ordered to pay $65G in child support for kid who isn’t his“, July 23, 2017