Texas Family Code 233.028 – Special Child Support Review Procedures Relating to Establishment of Parentage
(a) If the parentage of a child has not been established, the notice of child support review delivered to the parties must include an allegation that the recipient is a biological parent of the child. The notice shall inform the parties that:
(1) not later than the 15th day after the date of delivery of the notice, the alleged parent of the child shall either sign a statement of paternity or an acknowledgment of paternity or deny in writing that the alleged parent is the biological parent of the child;
(2) either party may request that scientifically accepted parentage testing be conducted to assist in determining the identities of the child’s parents;
(3) if the alleged parent timely denies parentage of the child, the Title IV-D agency shall order parentage testing; and
(4) if the alleged parent does not deny parentage of the child, the Title IV-D agency may conduct a negotiation conference.
(b) If all parties agree to the child’s parentage, the agency may file an agreed child support review order as provided by this chapter.
Terms Used In Texas Family Code 233.028
- Allegation: something that someone says happened.
- in writing: includes any representation of words, letters, or figures, whether by writing, printing, or other means. See Texas Government Code 312.011
- Person: includes corporation, organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, and any other legal entity. See Texas Government Code 311.005
- Written: includes any representation of words, letters, symbols, or figures. See Texas Government Code 311.005
(c) If a party denies parentage of a child whose parentage has not previously been acknowledged or adjudicated, the Title IV-D agency shall order parentage testing and give each party notice of the time and place of testing. If either party fails or refuses to participate in administrative parentage testing, the Title IV-D agency may file a child support review order resolving the question of parentage against that party. The court shall confirm the child support review order as a temporary or final order of the court only after an opportunity for parentage testing has been provided.
(d) If genetic testing identifies the alleged parent as the parent of the child and the results of a verified written report of a genetic testing expert meet the requirements of Chapter 160 for issuing a temporary order, the Title IV-D agency may conduct a negotiation conference to resolve any issues of support and file with the court a child support review order.
(e) If the results of parentage testing exclude an alleged parent from being the biological parent of the child, the Title IV-D agency shall issue and provide to each party a child support review order that declares that the excluded person is not a parent of the child.
(f) Any party may file a petition for confirmation of a child support review order issued under this section.