Category Archives: Paternity
Lamentations of the Statutory Stranger
In practice, the definition of “parent” is much broader than it is in family law. The person you consider your real mom or dad is someone who has been a consistent presence in your life since your childhood and who has provided you with moral guidance and unconditional love. The person might not be… Read More »
The Florida Dad’s Guide to Establishing Legal Paternity
You have probably met fathers who feel like the family court gave them a raw deal. They might pay a large portion of every paycheck in child support but only spend a few days each month with their children, and only on the days that are most convenient for the children’s mother. The side… Read More »
Three Methods to Establishing Paternity in Florida
When a married woman gives birth, there is an assumption that the husband is the father of the child. But what happens when the mother is unmarried? What if she knows who the father is, but he won’t step up and take responsibility? Like other states, Florida allows for several methods of determining paternity… Read More »
Disestablishing Paternity in Florida
Disestablishing paternity is the legal process where a man seeks to terminate a child support obligation or terminate paternity because he is not the biological father of the child(ren) in question. It’s important to note that in these cases, legal paternity is different than biological paternity. Someone who fathered a child is the biological… Read More »
How to Establish Paternity in Florida?
When you give birth in Florida, and you’re married, the law makes the assumption that the husband is the natural father of the baby. However, if the mother is not married at the time, she has to take formal steps to establish who the baby’s biological father is. This can be done voluntarily by… Read More »
Does A Father Have A Right To Be In The Delivery Room During The Birth Of His Child?
Delivering a child is one of the most difficult things a woman has to go through in motherhood. For most women, having a support person in the delivery room can help with the labor and delivery process. Conversely, having someone present who causes stress can stall labor and make the delivery more difficult. This… Read More »
Assumption Of Paternity And Divorcing Parents
Under Florida law, children born during a marriage are considered the children of the couple. This is the case even without conducting a paternity test. That means that a husband is considered legally responsible for the children born into the marriage, even when he is sure another man is the biological father, and the… Read More »
Your Rights As a Father With a Newborn Baby
When a mother and father decide to part ways when their baby is still an infant, or even before the baby is born, it can be difficult to determine custody. There are many courts that still hold the notion that the baby needs to be with its mother and vice versa, especially if the… Read More »
What is Paternity?
The definition of paternity may seem relatively clear: the state of being a father, or the existence of a father-child bond. But when it comes to a divorce, separation, or custody dispute, even simple concepts like paternity can become murky. What is the legal definition of paternity, and how is it established? And why… Read More »
When the Child isn’t His: Disestablishing Paternity in Boca Raton
Paternity is the legal process that establishes a child’s biological father, thus giving him parental rights to the child. Establishing paternity provides valuable protections to both parents and child. For parents, they are able to petition the court for child support and child custody. For the child, they receive not only financial and medical… Read More »
