Boca Raton Father’s Rights Attorney
They say that parents are a child’s first teacher and should provide all their needs. While some families have both parents who are active, there are families where the father does not have legal parental rights to make decisions for their child’s future. There are also cases where fathers who are divorced from their child’s mother are not allowed to get involved in their child’s life, regardless of their parental rights.
In Florida, a man who wishes to exercise their parental rights but is not married to the child’s mother will need to prove their paternity before the court. There are several ways paternity can be legitimized, and the father must prove they are ready for that commitment.
For divorced fathers, their rights are retained despite their divorce, and they can also seek legal support from their ex-spouse to recognize their rights. Further clauses are added in Florida’s statutes for those who wish to question paternity claims.
Our Boca Raton father’s rights lawyers at Davis and Associates, Attorneys at Law can help you understand the legal avenues you can explore for your father’s rights case and provide you with the proper legal support. We will handle your case carefully, personalize our legal advice and support as the case proceeds, and fight for your desired outcome while protecting your relationship with the child affected by these proceedings.
Call Davis and Associates, Attorneys at Law at (561) 783-3465 for your Free Consultation with a Boca Raton Father’s Rights Attorney.
Establishing Father’s Rights
In Florida, a man who has a child with a woman but is not married to them does not have legal rights to their children unless the court recognizes their paternity. Fathers who are listed on the legal birth certificate of a child but are not married to the child’s mother will also need to have their paternity proven in court before they can have a legal say in their child’s upbringing.
There are four ways unmarried fathers can establish their paternity and have it verified by the court. These ways are:
- Signing the Acknowledgement of Paternity form during the child’s birth and have it filed at the hospital or the appropriate agency at a later date
- Have an administrative order issued based on the results of a DNA test
- Have a signed court order
- Marrying the child’s mother after giving birth and updating the child’s birth certificate
Unmarried fathers who take this route must also show they are ready to take on the responsibility and be active in their child’s life. When paternity is established, the parents must discuss how the child’s upbringing can be done and how the father can be a part of their child’s life. If you need help establishing your father’s rights or understand what laws protect you, don’t hesitate to ask our Boca Raton father’s rights lawyers at Davis and Associates, Attorneys at Law anytime.
The Importance of Legally Protecting Your Relationship
For unmarried couples with children, the father can exercise his rights without going to court if he and the child’s mother can agree on how they will parent their child.
However, if the mother of the child does not want the father to be involved in the child’s life, the father will need to establish paternity and get the court to recognize the father’s rights. Without legal recognition, the mother will have the legal right to deny the father access to the child or let them be involved in their child’s life.
You can trust our Boca Raton father’s rights lawyers to help you fight for your paternal rights and see what other legal avenues you can use to secure your right to be involved in your child’s life. We can even help you schedule a paternity test and have the court recognize its results.
Divorced Fathers’ Rights
Unlike unmarried fathers, divorced fathers do not need to fight for their father’s rights in court. Their paternity is already established since they were married to their child’s mother during their birth. They are also expected to be given opportunities to bond with the children after the divorce proceedings.
However, some mothers do not allow their previous spouses to even bond with their children after the divorce. Fortunately, Florida’s statutes are behind the father’s back to help them exercise their rights and get the court to act when these rights are violated. Davis and Associates, Attorneys at Law can help you report this problem and ensure you can protect your relationship with your children.
Contesting Established Paternity
Although it doesn’t occur often, there are cases where a father, who is listed as the child’s legitimate father, has reasons to question if they are genuinely related to the child. There are also cases where a man identified or claimed as the child’s father has evidence to prove these claims.
Under Florida’s statutes, contesting paternity can be done by filing a “disestablishment of paternity” and a “termination of child support arrangement” before the court. This petition must be supported by a paternity test taken within 90 days, and copies of this petition must be given to the mother of the child or their current guardian, as well as to the Florida Department of Revenue if there’s an existing child support order. If there is no existing child support order, the petition can be done in the court where the child’s mother lives or in the Florida court where you live.
When the court receives the petition for disestablishment of paternity, several factors will be considered before it is approved. Factors such as the paternity test result, the father’s diligence in paying child support, and the child’s age can influence the decision.
Our Boca Raton father’s rights lawyer can help you file the disestablishment of paternity petition and prepare the evidence that will support it. We can also help you schedule your paternity test in court-approved testing centers and inform all parties about the petition.
Free Consultation Today
As a father, you, too, have the law to back you up when your rights are not recognized or you want to exercise them. The law is also behind you if you want to question the claims or if there is a reason for you to doubt your child’s paternity.
If you are ready to take legal action to resolve these issues, please ring our Boca Raton, FL family law firm. Our father’s rights lawyers are prepared to be your legal team and make sure that your relationship with the child is protected regardless of the outcome of your case.
Call Davis and Associates, Attorneys at Law at (561) 783-3465 for your Free Consultation with a Boca Raton Father’s Rights Attorney.