SUIT AFFECTING PARENT CHILD RELATIONSHIP

Establishing Custody and Parental Rights in Round Rock, Texas

File a SAPCR to Protect Your Parental Rights and Define a Custody Plan

When a child is born to unmarried parents in Texas—or when there is no court order in place—important questions about custody, visitation, and parental rights remain unanswered. To gain legal recognition and protect your relationship with your child, you must file a Suit Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship (SAPCR).

At the Law Office of Carl Knickerbocker, P.C., we help parents in Round Rock and Williamson County file and respond to SAPCR cases. Whether you're seeking primary custody, visitation rights, or legal recognition as a parent, we’ll walk you through the process and fight for the outcome that best protects your rights and your child’s well-being.

What Is a SAPCR?

A SAPCR (Suit Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship) is a legal action filed in Texas family court to:

• Establish legal parentage (paternity)

• Create a custody and visitation schedule

• Allocate parental rights and duties

• Determine child support obligations

• Define rules for health insurance and decision-making authority

If there’s no current court order in place, then even if you’re an involved parent, your time and rights can be taken away without legal protection. Filing a SAPCR gives you and your child legal stability and enforceable rights under Texas law.

Who Should File a SAPCR in Round Rock?

You should consider filing a SAPCR if:

• You are an unmarried parent seeking custody or visitation

• You want to be legally recognized as your child’s parent (paternity)

• You are raising your child but the other parent is not contributing

• You are concerned the other parent may move away with your child

• There is no existing court order for custody, visitation, or support

In Round Rock and Williamson County, SAPCRs are commonly filed by fathers seeking to establish rights, mothers needing formal child support orders, and grandparents or relatives seeking conservatorship in certain cases.

What a SAPCR Can Accomplish

Filing a SAPCR allows the court to put a legal framework in place that outlines:

• Custody (Conservatorship): Who makes decisions for the child

• Visitation (Possession and Access): A schedule for when each parent has the child

• Child Support: Financial contributions based on Texas guidelines

• Medical and Educational Rights: Who holds the authority to make key life decisions

• Geographic Restrictions: Limits on where the child can live to prevent relocations

Without a SAPCR, none of these issues are legally enforceable—even if you've been co-parenting informally.

Local SAPCR Experience in Round Rock Family Courts

At the Law Office of Carl Knickerbocker, P.C., we know the Williamson County court system and how SAPCRs are handled in Round Rock family courts. We’ve helped parents successfully:

• Establish their legal rights for the first time

• Negotiate custody and visitation agreements

• Protect their children from dangerous or unstable environments

• Fight for fair child support orders

• Resolve high-conflict parenting disputes

We’re here to represent your best interests—whether your case is uncontested or highly contested.

What If the Other Parent Disagrees?

Many SAPCRs begin as contested cases. One parent may want full custody. Another may deny parentage. Disagreements can arise about parenting time, holidays, relocation, or child support.

We handle these challenges head-on, with a combination of legal strategy and courtroom skill. We help clients prepare for:

• Mediation or informal settlement talks

• Temporary orders hearings to establish interim rights

• Final trials, if no agreement can be reached

Our goal is always to protect your relationship with your child and create a long-term, enforceable plan that reflects their best interests.

Start Your SAPCR Case with a Round Rock Family Law Attorney

Your child deserves the benefit of legal stability—and so do you. Don’t leave your parenting rights to chance or rely on informal agreements that can disappear overnight.

At the Law Office of Carl Knickerbocker, P.C., we offer clear, honest guidance and experienced representation to parents in Round Rock, Hutto, Cedar Park, Pflugerville, Leander, and across Williamson County.

Call (512) 763-9282 or fill out our contact form to request a free consultation today.

We’ll help you file your SAPCR, understand your rights, and protect your relationship with your child—now and for years to come.