Going through a custody battle is a stressful process that, unfortunately, many parents, and especially fathers, have to go through. As a father, you might feel as though the odds are stacked against you when it comes to fighting for the custody of your child in Texas. However, it is important to not lose hope, since you have the legal right to fight for a relationship with your child.
Gaining custody as a father can be achieved, and it becomes a much easier process if you make sure to fulfill certain aspects of being a father that will be considered favorably in the court’s eyes.
Establish paternity
If you are not yet legally recognized as the father of the child, the first thing that you must do is establish paternity. This can be done by asking the mother to put her name on the child’s birth certificate. If she will not do that, you can ask for a court-ordered DNA test.
Make sure to fulfill your responsibilities
When you are legally established as the father of a child, you have both rights and responsibilities. You first have the responsibility to pay child support and help raise the child financially. The courts will look at your consistency in paying child support as a big indication of your commitment to your child when considering whether to grant custody.
Adapt your life to parenthood
When you are filing for custody of your child, the courts want to see that you are adapting your lifestyle to having a child and making the appropriate sacrifices. This might mean making sure that your children will have their own bedroom when they are staying at your house. They will also want to see that you consistently attend the appropriate school events, social gatherings and that you want to support your child in all aspects of their life.
As a father, you have every right to have custody of your child if you can show that you will impact their lives positively. Make sure that you take action immediately to begin what can often be a lengthy process.