Paternity Actions: Protecting Your Rights
Paternity actions fall under the umbrella of family law. It applies to parents who are not married to each other but have a child or children together and are now separated, or separation is imminent. Finding a knowledgeable, dedicated attorney to represent your interests when you need to establish or deny the paternity of a child is essential.
C.J. Hilliard Law, P.A. is ready to help you with all family law issues, including paternity. We understand the impact on a family when paternity is in question. It can be an emotional minefield, affecting the biological father, the non-biological father, the mother, and the child. Our law firm can help you navigate Florida paternity laws and protect your rights.
Benefits for the Child When Paternity is Confirmed:
- Disclosure of the father’s health history
- Eligibility for the father’s health insurance coverage
- The right to inheritance from the father
- Child support to contribute to a child’s needs
- Eligibility for the father’s Veterans and Death Benefits
- An opportunity to form a loving relationship with both parents
Timesharing
Once paternity is established, the trend in Florida is to grant both parents equal timesharing. There are exceptions to that trend, which flows from the “best interest of the child” standard. A neglectful, abusive, absentee parent or one whose work schedule cannot accommodate this arrangement would not be granted equal timesharing.
Child Support
Child support is calculated in Florida using the income shares method. In addition to the parents’ incomes, the overnights each parent has with the child affects how much child support exchanges hands. Other factors are the number of children, healthcare and childcare costs, and extracurricular activities, to name a few.
Modifications
Modifying timesharing and child support is a costly and time-consuming legal process. The burden of proof to change these agreements is on the petitioner, who must be able to prove a substantial material change that was not anticipated at the time of the original court order. Without a knowledgeable attorney, you could end up with less than desired timesharing and a child support order you were not anticipating.
C.J. Hilliard Law, P.A., is Passionate about Family Law
Attorney Claire J. Hilliard is a strong advocate for her clients. Our law firm represents single mothers who need help establishing paternity. We also represent fathers wishing to maintain a meaningful relationship with their children, non-biological fathers in cases of mistaken paternity, and adult children looking for answers regarding their heritage. Our law firm provides personalized attention to every detail of each case.
Whenever possible, our law firm works with the parties in all family law matters to reach resolutions outside the courtroom rather than leaving critical decisions to a judge. We represent clients throughout Orlando and Central Florida. Contact C.J. Hilliard Law, P.A. at (407)656-1576 to schedule an appointment at our Winter Garden, Florida location.
