Altamonte Springs Paternity Attorney
Florida Family Law Attorney Assisting Clients with Paternity Cases in Altamonte Springs
Paternity cases in Florida can be complicated and contentious, especially when an alleged parent is contesting paternity. Yet Florida law allows a number of different parties to file paternity cases to establish paternity. In some scenarios, a person who believes he is the biological father of a child might want to establish paternity so that he can seek parental rights under Florida law, including child custody and time-sharing. At the same time, a mother might want to establish paternity because the presumed father of the child will not pay child support, and the mother needs to have the court determine paternity to move forward with a child support collections case. And in some situations, a child might move forward with a paternity case to determine the identity of his or her biological father. An Altamonte Springs paternity attorney can help.
Who Can Establish Paternity in Altamonte Spring, FL
Under Florida law (Fla. Stat. § 742.011), a number of different parties may be eligible to file a petition to establish paternity, including:
- Any woman who is pregnant;
- Any woman who has a child;
- Any man who has reason to believe that he is the father of the child; or
- Any child.
The parties listed above often will have different reasons for wanting to establish paternity, and the statute allows any of them to file a petition to have the court determine parentage.
Reasons to Establish Paternity in Altamonte Springs
Depending upon who files a petition to establish paternity, there are different reasons that a person might want to establish legal parentage, such as:
- To determine whether an alleged father is legally obligated to pay child support for a child;
- To determine whether an alleged father is entitled to parental rights, including time-sharing and the ability to make decisions about the child’s upbringing and well-being;
- To determine a child’s medical history; or
- To determine a child’s eligibility for certain benefits.
Using Scientific Testing in Altamonte Springs to Determine Paternity
Under Florida’s paternity statute, the court can order the parties involved in the case to submit to scientific testing in order to determine paternity. According to the statute, the court “may require the child, mother, and alleged fathers to submit to scientific tests that are generally acceptable within the scientific community to show a probability of paternity.”
Scientific testing typically includes DNA testing that can show, within a small margin of error, whether an alleged father is in fact the biological father of the child.
Contact an Altamonte Springs Paternity Attorney Today
Whether you need to determine paternity as the parent of a child, or you are an adult child who is seeking to determine paternity to learn more about your own identity or to seek benefits from your legal father, one of the experienced Altamonte Springs paternity lawyers at our firm can talk to you today to learn more about your case. After we evaluate your case, we can help you to move forward with a paternity case. Contact The Troum Law Firm, P.A. today for more information about the services we provide to clients in Altamonte Springs and throughout Central Florida.
