Travis County, TX · Free Consultation
Westlake Hills, TX Child Custody Lawyer
What Our Clients Say
When parents were never married, a custody case in Texas usually starts with a step married couples skip: establishing legal parentage. SMB Law, PC guides unmarried Westlake Hills parents through it. A Westlake Hills child custody lawyer knows an unmarried parent’s case starts with establishing legal parentage. Shane has been licensed since 2003 and personally guides Central Texas parents through that first step.
Plenty of Westlake Hills families are headed by parents who never married, and for them a custody order requires first confirming legal paternity — a piece married parents never have to think about.
Where a Westlake Hills child custody case is handled
Westlake Hills is in Travis County, so a custody case is filed with the Travis County District Clerk at the Civil and Family Courthouse on Guadalupe Street in Austin, close to our office. Many issues are resolved by agreement first.
Custody when the parents were never married
For unmarried parents, custody and possession are decided in a Suit Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship (SAPCR), and a threshold issue is legal paternity. Signing an Acknowledgment of Paternity or obtaining a court order — sometimes after genetic testing — establishes the father as a legal parent, which he must be before a court will order him possession and access or order him to pay child support. Until parentage is established, an unmarried father has limited enforceable rights, and an unmarried mother may have no support order to rely on. Once paternity is set, the same best-interest framework, conservatorship, and possession rules apply exactly as they would for divorcing parents — the child is treated the same regardless of the parents’ marital status. We help unmarried Westlake Hills parents establish parentage and then secure a custody and support order that gives everyone, above all the child, clear and enforceable rights.
From parentage to a workable order
Once legal parentage is settled, an unmarried Westlake Hills parent’s case looks much like any other custody matter — but getting there cleanly protects everyone. We make sure paternity is established the right way, whether by acknowledgment or, where there is a dispute, through the court and genetic testing, so the resulting order cannot be attacked later. From there we help negotiate conservatorship, a possession schedule, and child support that fit the family’s real life. Establishing parentage also secures a child’s access to benefits, inheritance, and medical history from both parents. Handled properly, the process gives an unmarried father enforceable time with his child and gives a mother a support order she can rely on — the same protections a marriage would have provided.
Central Texas family-law experience you can rely on
Custody decisions shape your child’s life for years, and they reward a lawyer who has handled them many times. You work directly with attorney Shane M. Boasberg, who has represented Texans for more than two decades and has been licensed by the State of Texas since 2003. He explains things in plain English, keeps the case centered on what is best for your child, and gives you a clear plan instead of more stress — keeping you informed from your first confidential consultation through final resolution.
Working with us from Westlake Hills
Our office is in downtown Austin, an easy reach from Westlake Hills. We handle most consultations and case updates by phone and video, and your first consultation is confidential. If travel is difficult, we can also come to you.
Why parents choose SMB Law, PC
- Direct attorney access — you talk to Shane, licensed since 2003, not a call center.
- Child-focused strategy — we keep the case centered on your child’s best interest.
- Honest advice and transparent fees explained before you commit.
What working with us looks like
- Confidential consultation to understand your goals and the law that applies.
- Strategy and records tailored to your family’s situation.
- Negotiation or court — we settle when we can and litigate when we must.
- Resolution implemented correctly so you can move on.
Frequently asked questions
Does an unmarried father have custody rights in Texas?
Only after paternity is legally established. Until then his rights are limited, so confirming parentage is the first step to possession and access.
How is paternity established?
By a signed Acknowledgment of Paternity or a court order, sometimes following genetic testing, which makes the father a legal parent.
Is being named on the birth certificate enough?
Not always. A formal acknowledgment or court order is what reliably establishes the legal parentage a custody order depends on.
Do I have to travel to your office from Westlake Hills?
No. Our downtown Austin office is about 7 miles east via Loop 360 and Bee Cave Road, and we handle Westlake Hills custody matters by phone and video.