The paternity of a child born in Florida is determined in one of four ways. If the father and mother are married, and a child is born, the law presumes that the husband is the lawful father. If the parties were never married to each other, the mother and father can sign a Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity. When that happens, the man admitting paternity has all of the rights and legal responsibilities of being a father.
Paternity by Administrative Finding
An administrative paternity action might also be brought by the Florida Department of Revenue if it has a legal interest in bringing an action for child support. The father, mother and child can appear for paternity tests in Coral Springs, FL, using swab samples of saliva to be examined by a laboratory for DNA matches. This would take the cooperation of everybody involved though, but it’s the fastest way of determining parentage.
Paternity by Court Order
If the parties were never married, and no Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity was executed, an order of paternity and other relief can also be sought through a court order. Either the mother or the putative father can bring the action. For the sole purpose of seeking child support, the Florida Department of Revenue can also bring a lawsuit.
A man might learn sometime in the future that he isn’t the father of a child. He might have even paid child support for a number of years for a child that was not his. Florida law does provide a way out for him, but it’s a difficult endeavor, and a Petition to Disestablish Paternity must be filed with the court and heard. If paternity tests in Coral Springs, FL, have become an issue in your life, contact or visit the website to arrange for a consultation with an experienced and effective family law lawyer.
