Category Archives: Paternity
What Are The Benefits of Establishing Paternity in Florida?
When a married woman gives birth to a new baby, the law assumes that her husband is the biological father. When an unmarried couple has a child together, the same legal assumption is not made. In these instances, fathers must legally establish paternity. Paternity can be established voluntarily between the mother and father or… Read More »
What are the Steps in a Florida Paternity Action?
When two people are married and have a child in Florida, the courts presume that the man is the biological father. When two unwed people have a child together, this same presumption does not exist. In these instances, the father or mother can establish paternity to pursue time-sharing with the child, or to obtain… Read More »
Can You Disestablish Paternity in Florida?
Unfortunately, there are times when a mother is not honest or she is mistaken about the paternity of her child, and tells a man that he is the biological father of her child, when he is not actually the father. He may agree to become the father of the child legally without obtaining a… Read More »
Florida Custody & Visitation Laws for Unmarried Parents: A Guide
When unmarried parents separate, it can be challenging to establish fair custody and visitation rights without legal assistance. The use of terms like physical and legal custody can lead to confusion and disputes, making it essential to have a clear framework. Additionally, the terms custody and visitation have been replaced with ‘timesharing,’ although custody… Read More »
What are Father’s Paternity Rights in Florida?
For fathers establishing paternity in Florida is sometimes a complicated matter, particularly if the mother and father were unmarried at the time of the birth. If you are a father who was never married to your child’s mother, it is important that you know your paternal rights. On the other hand, if the child’s… Read More »
The Role of DNA in Paternity Cases
With more couples choosing to skip the bonds of marriage in favor of living together in a less formal arrangement, more children are born outside of wedlock. This situation does not have the stigma formerly imposed on the children of unwed parents, but it can create some legal difficulties that need to be addressed…. Read More »
Does Conception Through Artificial Insemination Affect Paternity Rights?
Creating a child is a wondrous process that almost feels mysterious when a person considers how a child is conceived and develops until birth. The reproductive options a couple have to create a child are increasing every day, but artificial insemination is still a popular method to form an embryo when biological barriers put… Read More »
Who Wins: The Legal or Biological Father?
Recognition as a child’s legal parent, which is typically only an issue for a potential father (mothers automatically receive full custody rights following childbirth), is much more than a formality. Legal parents are the only individuals, without a court order, authorized to make decisions on a child’s behalf related to important matters, such as… Read More »
Paternity Claims Can Extend Beyond Death
Knowing who one’s parents are is a fact taken for granted by most children, but there is a distinct difference between being told a particular person is one’s mother or father, and whether the law recognizes this person as a parent. Any woman that gives birth to a child, not including surrogates, is automatically… Read More »
Undoing Paternity
Becoming a parent is no small event, and while most couples happily welcome a new child, the same amount of joy may be lacking for men unsure of the child’s paternity. Paternity, from a legal standpoint, typically refers to establishing a legal father for children born out of wedlock. Children born to married couples… Read More »
