Jacksonville Paternity Lawyer
Preserving the Rights & Responsibility of Florida's Fathers
We represent fathers seeking legal recognition of paternity in order to
secure the rights of
child custody and visitation, as well as men who face demands for financial support
of children with whom they share no biological relationship. An attorney
from our firm can also assist you if you are a mother and want to prove
paternity so that you can secure the child support payments you need to
provide for your children's needs and well-being.
Our team, equipped with an experienced Jacksonville
family lawyer, understands what a sensitive situation this may be for you, and will
approach your case with the delicate touch necessary to resolve the matter
in your favor.
Call or visit our office today for an
initial consultation to review your legal options and to allow us to begin working on your case.
Establishing Paternity in Jacksonville
From a legal perspective, establishing paternity through the Department
of Revenue means the father is legally recognized as the natural parent
of the child. In cases where the child is born out of wedlock, the law
does not acknowledge the father until paternity is legally established.
Once paternity is established, the mother and the father of the child
are both entitled to certain legal rights and benefits regarding their child.
Obligations of Legally Established Paternity
Both parents have a legal obligation to provide support and guidance to
their children. Beyond the obligation, however, is the basic right of
a parent to be involved in the raising of their child. Even more importantly,
the welfare of the child is the most important facet of a paternity case.
From either the mother's or father's perspective, there are various
situations which may be legally resolved once paternity is established, such as:
- The mother wishes to receive child support from the father, who is denying
paternity.
- The mother wants the father to take an active role in the raising of the
child and needs a court-ordered visitation schedule.
- The father wants to spend time with his child but the mother is refusing
to acknowledge his right to do so.
- The father wants a court order for child custody or visitation based on
his paternal rights.
- The father wants to stop paying support for a child he does not believe
is his own.
If you have a situation where the paternity of your child has been challenged,
you need the legal advice of a skilled and experienced paternity lawyer
in Jacksonville who can take you through all the necessary steps to establish
paternity and look out for your rights and the rights of your child.
While in some instances a name change can be conducted by filing the appropriate
paperwork, it can become increasingly complex, particularly in the case
of any dispute or disagreement regarding the name change. Whether you
are a mother who does not want your child to have his alleged father's
last name, if you are a man looking to establish paternity in order to
have your child's name changed to yours, or if you are a mother or
a father who wishes to make a change to your child's name, Hutchinson
Law's Jacksonville
divorce attorneys can help.
Undoing What's Already Been Done
Even after paternity has been established and recognized by law, it is
possible to disestablish paternity and terminate any further obligation
to pay child support when the male is not, in fact, the natural father
of the child. A case dealing with disestablishment of paternity means
the person previously designated as the father wishes to prove that he
is not the paternal father of the child and therefore is not legally obligated
to support or be responsible for that child.
Disestablishment of paternity is an extensive process and requires the
services of a highly skilled, knowledgeable lawyer to see the case through
to a successful resolution. At Hutchinson Law, the Jacksonville paternity
attorneys who have the experience to take on a case of this nature, presenting
it in the best light so as to defend the rights of his client.
If a father believes that he is not the biological father of his children,
he has the right to challenge their paternity and seek relief from paying
further support. Due to the potential emotional harm to the children involved,
as well as the general stance of the court regarding acting in the best
interests of the child, the aid of a highly skilled paternity lawyer is
crucial to the success of a case to disestablish paternity. The Jacksonville
paternity attorneys at Hutchinson Law know how to guide their clients
through the myriad details of this procedure and present their case as
favorably as possible.
Contact our firm today to discuss your case and legal options!
More Information on Paternity