Florida Paternity Lawyers

AGGRESSIVE AND RESULTS-ORIENTED ATTORNEYS SERVING CLIENTS THROUGHOUT FLORIDA, INCLUDING THE ENTIRE SOUTH FLORIDA TRI-COUNTY AREA

Paternity can be a tricky legal issue to navigate, whether you are a parent looking to establish Paternity for child support purposes or a parent seeking custody rights. Need to update for current society? At Moore Rabinowitz Law, we have more than 60 years of collective experience helping families resolve their legal disputes. We can help you build a strong case for Paternity no matter your circumstances. We will fight aggressively for your parental rights. We have consistently achieved great results for clients.

Schedule an initial consultation with Moore Rabinowitz Law today. We are located in the heart of Broward County and serve clients throughout the entire State of Florida.

Establishing Paternity — Voluntary Acknowledgement

When a married couple gives birth to a child, both those parents will be the legal parents of the child. However, if a couple is unmarried at the time of the child’s birth, a parent must establish parentage formally, either through voluntary means or involuntary means. 

If both parents agree on a person’s or the other parent’s parentage, they simply need to sign a “Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity” form, which acknowledges the person or other parent as the child’s legal parent. This acknowledgment becomes final 60 days after it has been signed, and neither parent can revoke it unless they go to court. This form is usually signed in the hospital when the child is born, but it can be signed at any point.

Establishing Paternity — Involuntary Court Case

Either parent of the child, the child themselves, or the Florida Department of Child Support Services may choose to pursue a paternity case in court. Based on the results of a paternity test, a judge may choose to order a child’s parent to pay child support or order that that parent has a right to visitation with the child. Additional orders, such as the payment of legal fees, may result as well.

Why Establish Paternity?

There are several reasons you may want to establish Paternity. For one, if you are the parent raising the child on your own, you can request child support from the other, which can help you better support and raise your minor child. The child may also be eligible for the other parent’s health insurance benefits or their government benefits (e.g., veteran’s benefits). Establishing a legal relationship also entitles your child to inherit from the other parent’s estate.

From the other parent’s perspective, if you and the other parent are not on amicable terms, you will need to ask the court for legal authority to obtain your share of parenting time with the child. You will also need to establish a legal relationship to obtain decision-making authority on behalf of your child. Only legal parents can assert these parental rights.

If you seek to establish Paternity in South Florida, do not hesitate to contact Moore Rabinowitz Law. Our attorneys have decades of professional experience, and we are prepared to help you strategize an aggressive case for paternity. We are also highly experienced with matters like child support and custody, which ensures that we can lend a multilevel perspective to your case. Let us fight for your parental rights today.

Contact Moore Rabinowitz Law for an initial consultation.