Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk Breakup Sheds Light on Co-Parenting Plans

09 Jul Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk Breakup Sheds Light on Co-Parenting Plans

The entertainment world was shocked when actor Bradley Cooper and model Irina Shayk announced their split last month. The couple was not only a staple on the red carpet but parents to a beautiful two-year-old girl, Lea De Seine.

While rumors may be swirling surrounding the split between the two celebrities, there is one thing that is not up for debate—Bradley and Irina’s intentions to co-parent their daughter. Both doting parents are interested in what is best for their child.

A source told E! News the couple is planning on being amicable as possible for their daughter. “They both want what’s best for their daughter, and so far, things are amicable,” the source said. “They’re working out custody details and putting everything in writing so there’s no confusion.”

While the pair, who were not married, still haven’t worked out all of the details of their split, they are trying to take their time and carefully craft a plan that will help make the transition as seamless for Lea. The source went on to share that the former flames, “want what’s least disruptive for their baby [and] would like to keep things as consistent as possible for her.”

This breaking story is not only shedding light on the good intentions of these two celebrity parents but also the importance of creating co-parenting plans such as this after a relationship ends.

While every state is different, here in Texas, there are laws in place to address different family circumstances, including situations like Bradley and Irina’s where the parents are unmarried. When parents are unmarried, the path to establishing paternity and custody of a child is quite different and involves certain particular and necessary steps.

The best and easiest way to go through this process in the state of Texas is when both unmarried parents decide to work together to be part of their child’s life and to establish a custody and co-parenting plan together. While reports show that Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk are planning on taking this path, not all couples are as amicable in the process.

In Texas, to establish paternity, both biological parents can voluntarily sign an acknowledgment of paternity (AOP), which typically happens in the hospital when their child is born.  A father can also be a “presumed” father or be an “adjudicated” father.

If the mother or alleged father involved disputes or denies paternity, paternity can be established, or “adjudicated,” through court proceedings. Once paternity has been established, the parents can work together with attorneys to craft parenting schedules that work best for their needs and the needs of their child or children. If a custody schedule cannot be agreed upon, again the court may need to step in. If someone is adjudicated the father of a child, court order will be issued and will, most likely, include the establishment of the parent-child relationship, child support, legal decision-making between the parents about the child, and the time each parent is entitled to spend with their child.  More information about paternity, or “parentage” as we call it, can be found in Chapter 160 of the Texas Family Code.

Whether a child’s parents are working together or having disagreements throughout the process, the help of an experienced family law attorneycan make the entire process smoother for all parties involved—you can stay focused on your child and your family while receiving competent and crucial legal advice from an expert.

The seasoned family law attorneys here at Navarrette Bowen, P.C. are committed to providing compassionate and comprehensive legal advice to families of all types. If you are seeking guidance on these kinds of issues, please give our Denton area family law practice a call today to set up an initial consultation at 940-566-0606.