Lakeland Paternity Attorney
It’s safe to say that you 100% know for sure whether or not you are a mother. If you gave birth to a child, that child is yours; there’s no doubt about it. For men, though, it’s a different story. Sometimes they have children and they never even know it.
After all, not every sexual encounter leads to children. But many do, and if a couple breaks up, it’s possible for the woman to have a child nine months later. And unless the woman informs the man, he may never know.
However, many women do let the man know eventually because they want their child to have a father. Maybe they want child support. But it’s possible that multiple men could potentially be the father of a child. That’s why it is important to establish paternity.
If the mother is not married when she has a child, that child does not have a legal father.
In Florida, paternity can be established three ways: at birth in the hospital, later on through acknowledgement, or anytime before age 18 by court order.
Having two parents can be beneficial for a child. They get access to their medical history as well as inheritance and other benefits. Plus, the mother can get child support, which can be a great financial help. Lakeland paternity attorney Darla K. Snead, P.L. can help you with your paternity issues. Contact us today to get started.
Benefits of Paternity
Establishing paternity has benefits for all involved. For the parents, confirming paternity allows them to get a court order for child support and custody or parenting time with the child.
Children also receive many benefits. For example, they can receive:
- Information about their family medical history
- Information about the identity of their father
- A birth certificate with both parents’ names
- Health or life insurance from either parent
- Support from both parents, such as child support and medical support
- Benefits such as Social Security benefits, veteran’s benefits, military allowances, and inheritances
However, back child support can be an issue for a man. If a man is determined to be a child’s father when the child is older — for example, age 5 — then he is responsible for paying the mother five years’ child support. This can be a substantial sum of money.
Proving Paternity
If a man does not acknowledge a child as his own, paternity can be established through DNA testing administered by a Florida family law court. A DNA test will require DNA samples from the mother, child, and alleged father. A genetic testing lab will then compare all three sets of DNA for similarity and send a report to the court.
Contact Darla K. Snead, P.L. Today
Children deserve to know who their father is. As such, determining paternity can be a life-changing event for you and your child.
There are many benefits to establishing paternity and there is legal help available. Darla K. Snead, P.L. can assist you with the process. Discuss your case with a Lakeland paternity lawyer. Schedule a consultation by calling (863) 619-5291.
