Paternity Attorney In Tampa, Florida

In Florida, when a mother is married and gives birth, the law presumes that the child’s father is the mother’s husband, which provides a level of legal protection and acknowledgement to the family unit. However, the situation becomes more complex when a mother is unmarried at the time of the child’s birth; in these cases, paternity must be established in order to ensure that the father’s rights and responsibilities are legally recognized.

Paternity can be established in a couple of ways, either voluntarily or through a formal Court order. If the mother and the alleged father are in agreement regarding paternity, they can execute a “Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity” form, a simple process that can help avoid lengthy legal disputes. Once this document is signed, it must be submitted, and after a period of 60 days, the acknowledgment becomes legally binding, meaning that neither parent can later revoke their agreement.

In instances where there is no Voluntary Acknowledgment, either the mother or the presumptive father has the option to file a Petition for Determination of Paternity with the Court, which will then initiate legal proceedings to establish paternity.

Additionally, similar to other children’s issues, when a party initiates a Paternity matter, the Court has the authority to issue orders regarding various important aspects of child-rearing, such as child support, health insurance for the minor child, timesharing arrangements, and parental responsibility. If you find yourself navigating a paternity issue, please call us today to discuss your case in detail! We are eager to assist you and look forward to the opportunity to speak with you.