Establishing Paternity in South Florida with a Miami Paternity Attorney
While the law naturally establishes the rights of the mother, knowing for certain the legal identity of the father when the mother isn’t married can be difficult. Courts can establish paternity of a woman’s husband as the presumed father, but establishing paternity outside of marriage could require additional steps.
If you wish to establish paternity in or around Miami, FL, turn to the experienced paternity law team at Miami Family Law Group, PLLC. We have over 30 years of combined experience in family law and helping to establish paternity and help children enjoy involvement and support from their fathers so they may benefit from both parents being in their lives.
Why Prove Paternity?
A putative (alleged or claimed) father may want to prove he is the biological father of a child for several reasons, including:
- He may have benefits he could provide for the child, such as health insurance or government benefits.
- He may wish to leave an inheritance for his child when he passes away.
- He may want to pursue a court order for time-sharing, physical custody, or legal custody of his child.
- He may want to be sure he is the biological father of the child before paying child support.
How to Establish Paternity in Florida
The state will presume that the husband is the biological father when a married woman gives birth to a child. However, if the father is not married to the mother, there are two options.
- If you and your partner are in a relationship, you can both sign an agreement to establish legal paternity of the father.
- If both the biological mother and the putative (alleged) father are not in a relationship and either party wants to establish paternity, either can file an action to have the court name the putative (alleged) father as the legal father to the child.
The statute of limitations to file for paternity of a child in Florida is until the child turns 22 years old.
How to Disprove Paternity in Florida with Paternity Lawyers
If a child’s mother names you as the alleged father to claim child support, you may wish to disprove paternity. Contact our office at Miami Family Law Group, PLLC to schedule a strategy session and speak with a Miami paternity lawyer about your options for disproving paternity.
If you consent to a DNA test, then you can establish for sure whether or not you are the father. If you don’t wish to consent to a DNA test, you may have other options to disprove paternity, including travel records, phone and text logs, and witness testimony. A Miami paternity attorney with our firm can help you dispute a mother’s claims for child support.
