Paternity Lawyer in Jacksonville, Florida

Whether you seek to establish paternity for child support, custody, or visitation rights, a skilled paternity lawyer in Jacksonville can help clarify your rights and responsibilities.

Personalized and Effective Paternity Representation in Jacksonville

Our paternity lawyers in Jacksonville dedicate themselves to providing personalized and effective representation to ensure the best possible outcome for you and your family. Establishing paternity is a crucial step for parents who wish to be involved in their child's life or be able to rely on child support by filling out the Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity form. It can also have significant implications for the child's future, including inheritance rights, access to family medical history, and eligibility for benefits such as social security and health insurance. In Jacksonville, Florida, the process of establishing paternity can be initiated by both parents or through a court order if there is a dispute. Our paternity lawyers are adept at handling these sensitive matters with utmost respect for all parties.

Ways to Establish Paternity

Establishing paternity is an important legal step that protects the rights of both parents and ensures children receive the financial, emotional, and medical support they deserve. At Florida Women’s Law Group, we help mothers navigate the paternity process with clarity and confidence. Common ways to establish paternity in Florida include:

Voluntary Acknowledgment: Both parents sign a legal document acknowledging paternity.
Genetic Testing: DNA testing confirms biological parentage, but must be paired with an administrative or court process to legally establish paternity. The test itself does not create legal paternity; it provides evidence for an order.
Court Order: A judge establishes paternity following a legal petition.
Administrative Order: The Florida Department of Revenue can establish paternity through administrative proceedings.
Marriage: If parents are married at the time of the child’s birth, paternity is automatically presumed.
Legitimation Through Marriage After Birth: If the parents marry after the child’s birth, the father can be recognized as the legal father by submitting documentation and updating the birth certificate.

Our team is here to guide you through every step of this process to ensure your child’s rights and your family’s future are fully protected.

How Accurate Are Paternity Tests?

Modern paternity tests are highly accurate, providing results with up to 99.99% certainty when confirming a biological relationship. DNA is collected through a simple cheek swab and analyzed in certified laboratories using advanced genetic testing technology. At Florida Women’s Law Group, we help clients understand the paternity testing process and ensure that results are obtained legally and reliably, especially when they’re needed for court or child support proceedings.

What Happens After Establishing Paternity?

Paternity and Child Custody

Paternity and child custody are interconnected areas of family law. After establishing paternity, fathers may seek custody and visitation rights to participate in their child's upbringing. In Florida, the courts assess several factors when determining child custody, including the child's best interests.

Child Custody Parenting Plans

Child custody parenting plans are essential tools for managing the responsibilities and details of parenting after a separation or divorce. A parenting plan aims to ensure the child maintains a healthy and meaningful relationship with both parents while providing stability and continuity in their lives.

Child Custody Physical

Physical custody pertains to where the child lives and which parent is responsible for the child's day-to-day care. The court can award this type of custody as sole or joint physical custody.

Child Custody Sole

A legal arrangement known as sole child custody grants physical and legal custody to one parent. The child resides with that parent, who has the exclusive authority to make significant decisions regarding the child's welfare. This setup ensures that all critical aspects of the child's life, including education, healthcare, and general well-being, are managed by one parent.

Joint Child Custody

Joint child custody is an arrangement where both parents share equal responsibility and authority over their child's upbringing, encompassing both physical and legal aspects. Joint physical custody ensures that the child spends a substantial and meaningful amount of time with both parents, fostering strong relationships with each. Joint legal custody requires parents to make significant decisions concerning the child's education, healthcare, extracurricular activities, and overall welfare.

Child Custody Time-Sharing

Child custody time-sharing refers to the arrangement in which both parents allocate their time to the child in a manner that best serves the child's needs and promotes a healthy and stable environment. Time-sharing schedules can vary, ranging from equal split arrangements to more traditional schedules where one parent has the child during the week while the other has weekends.

What Are the Immediate Benefits of Establishing Paternity?

Establishing paternity offers several immediate advantages for both the child and parents, helping to create legal clarity and support from the start. At Florida Women’s Law Group, we guide clients through this important process to secure these benefits, which may include:

Legal recognition of the father-child relationship
Access to financial support, such as child support
Eligibility for health insurance and government benefits
Inheritance rights for the child
Medical history information for better healthcare decisions
The opportunity to build a meaningful parent-child bond

Establishing paternity early helps lay the foundation for long-term stability and well-being for everyone involved.

What if the Father Refuses to Undergo Paternity Testing?

If a man refuses to take a paternity test, legal action may be necessary to move the process forward. At Florida Women’s Law Group, we can help you file a petition with the court to establish paternity. If the court finds sufficient grounds, it can order the alleged father to undergo genetic testing. Refusal to comply with a court order can result in legal consequences, including a default judgment establishing paternity based on the available evidence.

What if I’m Married to Someone Other than the Biological Father?

In Florida, if a woman is married at the time of her child’s birth, her husband is legally presumed to be the child’s father—even if he is not the biological parent. If the woman marries someone after the child is born, that spouse does not automatically gain legal paternity. In either situation, legal action may be necessary to establish or disestablish paternity. Florida Women’s Law Group can guide you through this complex process to ensure the child’s legal rights and parental relationships are accurately established.

How a Paternity Lawyer in Jacksonville Can Help

A knowledgeable paternity attorney in Jacksonville can guide you through these procedures, ensuring you file all necessary documentation and meet all legal requirements. A paternity attorney in Jacksonville can help you understand whether establishing parentage suits your situation. This process involves both parents signing a "Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity" form, a binding document confirming the father's paternity. In cases with disputed paternity, a lawyer can assist in filing a lawsuit. Your lawyer submits a petition to the court to establish paternity, which may include requesting a DNA test.

Beyond establishing legal fatherhood, a lawyer can also help link paternity to other essential matters, such as child support, custody, and visitation rights. By proving paternity, the father gains the legal standing to seek custody or visitation and can be held responsible for providing financial support. Our legal team at FWLG is adept at handling paternity cases with compassion and precision. We work hard to protect your rights and foster a stable and nurturing environment for your child. Contact us today to discuss how we can assist you in establishing paternity and securing the benefits it offers for you and your child.

Why Choose Florida Women’s Law Group for Your Paternity Case

At Florida Women’s Law Group, we are dedicated exclusively to family law and understand how emotionally and legally complex paternity issues can be. Our team brings a deep understanding of Florida statutes related to paternity, child support, and parental rights, and we tailor our legal strategies to meet the specific needs of each client. Whether you are seeking to establish paternity for child support, timesharing rights, or legal decision-making authority, we offer the compassionate guidance and fierce advocacy you need.

Our paternity services include:

Decades of Focused Experience in Florida family law, including paternity, child support, and parental responsibility matters
Individualized Legal Support that reflects your family’s unique dynamics and long-term goals
Assertive Representation to ensure your parental rights and your child’s best interests are protected at every stage
Up-to-Date Legal Knowledge on evolving statutes and case law impacting paternity, custody, and support in Florida

Schedule Your Consultation Today

If you seek legal advice about paternity, contact the Florida Women’s Law Group as soon as possible to schedule a consultation with one of our paternity attorneys in Jacksonville, Florida. You can also reach out to us online using our convenient message form.