Florida Paternity Rights
If there is any question whatsoever about the father's identity, we urge paternity testing.
We have seen a number of unfortunate cases in which men have been saddled with 18 years (or more) of support obligations for children who were not theirs. Do not let this happen to you.
If you have been served with notification of a divorce or paternity suit, contact an attorney who understands the long-term consequences of ignoring these suits or signing paternity acknowledgements. Know your Florida paternity rights, contact the Law Office of Gerald Adams & Associates, PA to learn about paternity and DNA testing.
Paternity Fraud is real, common, and sometimes state-assisted. Social Services agencies force clients to name the father of a state-supported child, so the state can seek reimbursement for paid benefits. Sometimes any father will do. Notices of Paternity actions are served on "putative" fathers at their last known address as provided by the Mother, which could be an address last known only to the agency's client, and not ever known by the father.
Even if it was once the father's legitimate address, if no record of postal forwarding exists, the state will presume that imaginary address to be proper for purposes of legal notice and service of process. Years and years later, "phantom fathers" often find themselves facing incarceration for not supporting children they never knew they had.
Challenging paternity years after final judgment is often pre-empted by statutes of limitations or the futile search for evidence that the "phantom father" was residing at an address other than their "last known address." Even if the "last known address" was once the father's legitimate address.
Many of our clients have fathered a child but are being excluded from proving parentage or participating in the child's life. Unmarried fathers, in these circumstances, need to have a paternity test. If the test verifies that the client is the father, the father will have decisions to make about their role in the child's life and how to pursue it. If the father decides he wants to be part of the child's life, our attorneys can begin the process of helping them claim parental rights and petitioning for parenting time. Our father's rights attorneys help men work through all the issues raised by an out-of-wedlock child.
Yes, it does occur, more often than imagined. While most paternity questions arise over out-of-wedlock births, we have also assisted men who have questioned the paternity of a child born during a marriage. While this situation is uncomfortable, our clients agree that knowing a child is not theirs is better than wondering about that child's heritage for the rest of their lives.
DNA testing results are virtually conclusive of paternity issues. If you know whether a child is yours, or not, you can decide what to do. When it comes to paternity, knowledge is power. Knowing who your genetic children are prevents paternity fraud, malicious claims for child support , petty denials of father's rights and inheritance questions down the road.
Need more information about Florida Paternity Rights? Receive a free initial telephone consultation by calling the phone number for your area. For your convenience, we offer evening and weekend appointments, and accept all major credit cards.
Request a Free Phone Consultation
If you have any questions about Florida Paternity Rights , contact us today for your free phone consultation.
