L.P.D. v. R.C.

BEAANN SMITH, Justice.

At issue in this appeal is whether the trial court abused its discretion in failing to appoint an attorney ad litem to represent the child’s interests in this voluntary paternity action resolved by a default judgment. Concluding that it did, we will reverse the trial-court judgment.

THE DISPUTE

While living in Texas, L.P.D. bore a child, J.A.C., out of wedlock. She then moved to Philadelphia with J.A.C. when the child was two and one-half years old. Five months later, R.C. filed a voluntary paternity action. See Tex. Fam.Code Ann. § 160.201 (West 1996). The trial court…