Can I Request Genetic Testing in Texas?

One issue that sometimes arises in family law cases—such as divorce or child custody—is the issue of parentage. In some instances, a mother or father may call parentage into question and want to confirm the biological father of a child. If this question has emerged in your situation, or you believe it will emerge, it is important to take the appropriate steps either during pregnancy or shortly after birth. This will help prevent a lot of headache and heartache further down the road. In Texas, you can request genetic DNA testing before the birth of the child to determine who the father is or is not. There are certain procedures available during pregnancy or after the birth of the child. If there is an agreement between the mother and alleged father of the child, you can move forward quickly and easily with testing. However, if there is not an agreement, you may need to seek court-ordered genetic DNA testing. According to the Texas Attorney General, genetic DNA tests can determine a biological father with 99 percent accuracy, and results are generally available within 4-6 weeks after testing. If you have any questions about this process or suspect you may need to seek a court order to test the parentage of your child, it is important to speak with an attorney about options. Your attorney can guide you through the process and help ensure you get the answers you need as quickly as possible. At Sandoval Law Firm we understand the stress of dealing with divorce, child custody and domestic violence. Our firm consists of founding attorney Raul Sandoval Jr. and a dedicated support staff. Mr. Sandoval earned his law degree from Texas Tech University School of Law. Since that time, he has been practicing family law in the Austin area, as well as teaching seminars, classes and other forms of professional development.