Am I married?

Austin Texas has a governmental agency that tracks life events such as marriages, divorces, births, and deaths.

It's the Bureau of Vital Statistics.

If you want to know if you are married, that is where I'd start.

CPS Attorneys

Here is a partial list of attorneys that say they do CPS cases.

I know most of them. I would call any of them for a consultation if I had a CPS case.

Remember - if CPS contacts you, IMMEDIATELY hire a CPS attorney to help and guide you on this difficult and tricky process.

I would want to talk to a CPS attorney BEFORE meeting with CPS.

Bobbie Young

Rocky LeAnn Pilgrim

Dennis Slate

George Clevenger

Julie Brock

Jetty Abraham

Eric McFerrin

Les Shireman

Beth Arnold Trostad

Barbara Rice Stadler

Hillary Unger

Allette Williams

Thao Tran

Gigi Oglesby

Susan Solis


Or check out www.avvo.com - best FREE website to locate attorneys in your area.

Unmarried pregnant women

If you are not married and you are pregnant, PLEASE call a family law attorney in your county to talk about your options.

It is so distressing when a woman that just gave birth calls and regrets the decisions she made at the hospital regarding the child's birth certificate.

I am especially upset when the new mom admits dad has drug, alcohol, mental illness or anger management issues. Or, his family members (normally paternal grandmother) is trying to control the entire situation.

If you sign up for any governmental assistance such as Medicaid, food stamps, WIC, etc. you need to read ALL THE FINE PRINT. You are allowing the State of Texas Attorney General's office to file a lawsuit against the bio. dad asking for reimbursement on behalf of Texas taxpayers!

You have no say in this matter once you access free or discounted services provided by the federal or state government.

It's like a snow ball rolling down hill, once it starts you just cannot stop it and it gets bigger and bigger.

If you don't want the Attorney General office involved, then don't access any free services.

I also usually suggest that mom not put bio dad's name on birth certificate or give the child the bio dad's last name. 

If dad wants to be involved, make him file a Paternity action and ask a judge to give him parental rights and for the child to have his last name.

If you do it, it's almost impossible to reverse. And, then it's going to cost you thousands of dollars in legal and court costs to try to get a judge to agree with you -- which many judges won't do so you wasted all your time and money.

Of course, only unhappy people call a lawyer. People that are getting along never call me so I recognize that I have a possibly unrealistic view of unmarried young people.

In summary, talk to a lawyer NOW and not later.

Can someone under 18 get married in Texas?

Can a teen-ager get married in Texas?

There is a new Texas law effective September, 2017 that anyone under the age of 18 cannot marry. 

The only exception is a judge can emancipate the teen-ager (between the ages of 16-18) and then the newly emancipated person can marry. 

No longer can parents just sign and agree to the marriage - that is now GONE. 

If you are unhappy, contact your Texas legislature since they changed the law effective September 2017. 

If enough people complain, then the legislature can re-visit this law when they meet again in 2019. 

Emancipation is not cheap or easy. It will definitely depend on the judge. Some judges won't do it. Of course, what makes it truly difficult is that the teen-ager needs to be financially self reliant. I don't know of any 16 year olds that support themselves 100%. 

But the law is new so perhaps judges will be more lenient if they know that the child intends to marry as soon as they are emancipated. 

Lots of parents and teens post regarding this question and I hope this explains it clearly and simply. 

It's the current law and we are struck with it until the legislature changes the law.