My girlfriend is pregnant but she doesn't want to have anything to do with me anymore. What do I need to do to protect my rights as a father?

Believe it or not, we often get this question. The first issue is to contact a competent attorney. The second is that the father should register with the voluntary paternity registry maintained by the Texas Department of Health. This preserves certain parental rights and extends the period for an alleged biological father to act. There is a very short window of opportunity to act following the birth of the child and you should consult an attorney and be prepared to move quickly.