The Law Office of Matt Sossi Offers Legal Services Regarding
Paternity Suits
and Child Support Matters

Paternity Suits

• Paternity Suits
• Time Constraints
• What is at stake?
• Office of the Attorney General
  
  Child Support

• How much should monthly child support be?
• How can I collect my child support?
• What information should I need to bring to the lawyer’s office?

Paternity Suits

For a child born out of wedlock, it is my position that it makes better sense to have court orders in place to resolve issues of custody, child support and health insurance.

Time Constraints

Based upon the particular facts of your case there may well be time limitations upon filing a parentage suit. For mothers of older children who have yet to file parentage suits, I strongly suggest that you contact an attorney to discuss applicable statute of limitations. Any man who believes that he is the biological father of a child born in Texas should contact the paternity registry immediately to best preserve his rights. The link for this website is as follows:
[http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/vs/default.shtm].

What is at stake?

Monetarily, you will want to have an enforceable order that will have a court imposed order of support. Paternity suits allow the parent/primary caretaker to have the right to seek retroactive child support presumptively up to four years. Health insurance for the child is of obvious importance and the purchase of which requires some equitable division of uninsured medical expenses. On that note, make sure that your order contains language of what medical expenses are covered by this language, such as dental, vision, etc.

In addition you will want to make sure that the order is crafted to best fit how the child will be cared for, how decisions will be made and what sort of access each parent will have.

Office of the Attorney General

The State of Texas’ Office of the Attorney General’s website offers assistance to establish child support cases, including paternity suits. Please refer to their website to best educate yourself on their available procedures at the following link:
[http://www.oag.state.tx.us/child/]

I would ask that you consult with an attorney concerning what your individual rights, duties and obligations are to the child/ren, the subject of the suit.

Child Support

How much should monthly child support be?

To adopt legal terminology the obligor (one who is bound by an obligation to another) will pay a certain percentage of his or her income to the obligee for the support of the children of the parties’ relationship. To receive an exact amount of what the child support obligation is please contact an attorney of your choosing. If you wish to try to calculate an approximate amount I’d suggest you go to the following link: [http://www.divorcelawinfo.com/states/texas/cal/TXCSC.html].

How can I collect my child support?

MImmediately, after your divorce decree or paternity order has been entered with the court, contact the Office of Attorney General, OAG, to set up your account. Establish with a caseworker at the OAG that a “wage withholding order” has been set up to the obligor’s place of employment. If these efforts fail and/or you find it difficult to receive support payments, I would advise you to contact the OAG or a private attorney to file a motion to enforce your child support. For a record of child support payments, visit the following link
[http://www.oag.state.tx.us/child/index.shtml]

What information should I bring to the Attorney's office?

Information you should bring to an attorney's office:

1. Copy of the child’s birth certificate
2. Acknowledgment of Paternity from


a) Office of the Attorney General

b) Texas Vital Statistics

3. Copy of health insurance for child and proof of cost of insurance
4. Income tax returns and/or pay stub showing year to date income

For Birth Certificate; Notice of Intent to Claim Paternity; Texas Vital Statistics:

For Paternity:

For Texas Child Support Calculator