Disputes over paternity testing present some of the most sensitive issues in family law, particularly when a child has already known one man as a father for years. Florida courts have repeatedly emphasized that genetic truth alone does not control these cases. Instead, the law prioritizes stability, emotional security, and…
Child custody and paternity disputes often lead to intense legal battles, especially when parents were never married. When a father acknowledges paternity of a child, they should have equal parental rights as the child’s mother, as explained in a recent Florida case that demonstrates the evolving landscape of parental rights…
Under Florida law, paternity determinations must be grounded in valid evidence and aligned with statutory requirements. Courts must ensure that any findings of fraud or misrepresentation are appropriately addressed and that legal parentage is resolved based on the child’s best interests, as demonstrated in a recent Florida decision addressing claims…
People who have children in non-marital relationships often believe they have the right to parent their children without court intervention. If the relationship falls apart, though, the father’s rights may be in jeopardy. If a man has acted as a child’s parent, however, the courts may legally deem him a…
Florida law presumes that when a baby is born to a married man and woman, the man is the father of her child. Similarly, if a man acknowledges he is the father of a child born out of wedlock, the court will presume he is the child’s father. Issues can…
When people in romantic relationships decide to part, they will typically go their separate ways. If they have a child together, though, they may have to seek intervention from the courts to determine their parental rights and obligations. In any custody matter, the Florida courts must rule in the best…
In Florida child support cases, the courts typically refer to statutory guidelines to determine what constitutes an appropriate obligation. While the courts are permitted to deviate from the guidelines, if they do so, they generally must demonstrate that the deviation is warranted. In a recent Florida opinion issued in a…
Generally, when a child is born to a married couple, both parents have the right to care and custody of the child. Pursuant to Florida law, however, when a child is born out of wedlock, the mother is deemed the child’s natural guardian and has the right to sole custody…
It goes without saying that people do not have to be romantically involved in order to conceive a child, and in some instances, friends will choose to embark on the journey of parenthood together. When people who are not married or a couple use unorthodox means to conceive a child,…
Many parties have children outside of the context of marriage, and while in some cases paternity is not at issue, in others, legal action is necessary to define a child’s parentage. Once a man has been legally established as the father of a child, pursuant to Florida law, it is…