Experienced Paternity Lawyers Helping Fathers Establish Their Rights in the Tampa Bay Area

Unmarried Parents. In Florida the mother of a child born out of wedlock is the natural guardian of the child. The biological father’s paternity of the child and the rights that go with it, must be established.

Establishing Father’s rights – Paternity. Biological Fathers may establish their rights by filing an action for Paternity. This does not necessarily mean that a Paternity Test must be performed, but instead means that the Father is petitioning the court to establish his identity as the biological father and his rights and responsibilities to the child.

Parents are on Equal Footing. Once Paternity is established, whether by admission of the parties or other method, the biological father stands on equal ground with the Mother and the Court or the parties may devise a parenting plan based on the best interest of the child.

What to do if you are an unmarried Father – The Putative Father Registry. Prior to the formal establishment of Paternity, a man who believes he is the biological father of a child born out of wedlock should file a Notice with the Florida Putative Father Registry. Filing with this registry acts as Notice to all persons that there is a claim of paternity and any action filed concerning the child, such as a Petition to Adopt the child, will have to be provided to the person claiming Paternity.

If an unmarried man believes he is the father of a child, but fails to register with the Putative Father Registry, he may forever lose his right to the child if the Mother places the child for adoption.