Helping Floridians with Paternity Cases
Establishing paternity is an important step for securing a child’s legal rights and ensuring their well-being. At Central Justice, our experienced paternity attorneys in Florida understand the complexities surrounding paternity cases and are dedicated to guiding you through the process.
Whether you need to establish paternity for child support, custody, or immigration purposes, our team has the knowledge and expertise to protect your rights and those of your child.
If you are an unmarried parent or have immigration concerns related to paternity, our bilingual family law attorneys can provide the compassionate and personalized legal representation you deserve. Contact us today for a confidential consultation, and let us help you navigate the legal system with confidence.
How Paternity is Established
How paternity is established depends on various circumstances. The state of Florida has provided information on the different ways to establish paternity for children under 18, which are divided into three categories.
At Birth
- If the parents are married when the child is born, paternity is automatically established.
- If the parents are unmarried when the child is born, both parents can voluntarily establish paternity in the hospital.
By Legitimation or Acknowledgement
- If the mother is unmarried when the child is born but marries the father, paternity can be established when applying for a marriage license.
- If the parents are unmarried, paternity can still be established but will require acknowledgment by both parents.
By Order
- If paternity has not been established another way, it can be established with a legal order. These orders use genetic testing and can be ordered by a judge.
Benefits of Establishing Paternity
Establishing paternity may seem unnecessary, but there are many benefits unavailable to those without paternity confirmed. Paternity is required for the following benefits:
- Child support: By establishing paternity, you can get child support from the father.
- Child custody and visitation: If you’re a father but have not had your paternity established, courts likely won’t consider granting visitation, shared custody, or being legally involved in any meaningful way.
- Access to family medical history: Knowing medical history and predispositions can be helpful for the child and could help prevent or catch certain illnesses early enough to get treatment.
- Other government benefits: Paternity must be established for the child to be eligible to receive things like Social Security benefits, veterans’ benefits, or other government assistance programs.
Immigration Considerations
Paternity can also have some unique impacts on immigration. For example, children born in the U.S., regardless of their parents’ citizenship status, are automatically granted U.S. citizenship. This is called birthright citizenship. However, if the child is born outside the U.S., they might be eligible for some immigration benefits if paternity is established with a U.S. citizen parent.
Also, in the case of family-based immigration, paternity is required to bring a child into the country. There are many considerations in these types of cases, and they can be extremely complicated.
How Central Justice Can Help
Dealing with paternity matters can seem overwhelming, but our team is here to make the process easier. At Central Justice, our lawyers understand the importance of establishing paternity for your family. We also understand the potential impact on immigration an individual’s immigration process and are committed to guiding you through the process.
We have extensive experience handling all types of paternity cases in Florida. Whether you need DNA testing to acknowledge paternity voluntarily or to go through the courts, we’ll guide you every step of the way. Establishing paternity is important for securing child support, custody rights, health history access, and government benefits for your child.
Paternity issues can also impact immigration cases. Our attorneys are skilled in both paternity and immigration law. We can assist with using paternity to obtain immigration benefits for your child, such as permanent residency or citizenship through their U.S. citizen parent.
Contact us today to learn more. Our bilingual staff is ready to assist you, and we’ll stand by you throughout the paternity process.