Can paternity be established without a DNA test?

In Texas, paternity can be established without a DNA test, although it is the most accurate method. Paternity can be established using other forms of evidence, such as the acknowledgment of paternity or presumptive paternity. An “acknowledgment of paternity” is a document filed with the State of Texas that is signed by both parents and establishes legal paternity. Presumptive paternity is based on legal presumptions, such as when two individuals are married at the time of the child’s birth, when the man is listed as the father on the child’s birth certificate, or when a court determines the man is the biological father following a paternity test. In the case of a contested paternity, either parent may request a scientific paternity test from the Office of the Attorney General of the State of Texas. The test will compare the genetic patterns of the alleged father to the child and determine the likelihood of whether or not the father is the biological father. This test is considered the most accurate method of establishing paternity. Once paternity is legally established, the father may be legally obligated to provide financial support to the child, and the child may have access to other benefits such as insurance and inheritance.

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Can paternity be established without a DNA test?

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