Your St. Petersburg Paternity Attorney

Fatherhood comes with many important benefits and responsibilities. That’s where an experienced paternity attorney can help. Evidence of paternity gives a father the opportunity to reunite with his children and protects his visitation and childrearing rights. Proof of paternity also allows children to receive full advantages from both parents — including child support, inheritance, public benefits and insurance. On the other hand, negative paternity test results can help a man avoid lifetime financial liability to a child who is not his.

Prove Or Disprove A Father’s Biological Relationship

With more than 25 years of experience, the family law attorneys at St. Petersburg firm William B. Bennett, P. A. guides parents through paternity issues. We advise both men and women about their legal options for proving or disproving paternity.

William Bennett, P.A. Paternity Lawyer
If you are questioning the paternity of a child, call the law office of William B. Bennett, P.A. to determine your legal rights as a parent.

Legal Presumption Of Fatherhood

A man is legally presumed to be the father of a child if:

  • The child was born or conceived while he was married to the mother
  • He legitimized the child through marriage to the mother
  • He adopted the child
  • Court proceedings established that he is the father
  • An administrative order was issued based on genetic testing
  • The father and mother officially acknowledged paternity

We review individual circumstances to determine whether parents have a legal basis for claiming paternity and the best means for establishing fatherhood.

Genetic Testing

Genetic testing produces reliable scientific proof of paternity. In fact, The Florida Department of Revenue administers and regulates DNA testing. Parents may not need to go to court, but can instead seek an administrative order directly from the agency. Therefore, if one party refuses to cooperate, we can ask a court to intervene and order the DNA testing.

Florida Putative Father Registry

The Florida Putative Father Registry provides a means for asserting paternity by an unmarried biological father. The system, administered by the Florida Department of Health, protects a father’s rights if the mother places their child up for adoption or if she enters dependency proceedings.

Find Out More About Proving And Disproving Paternity From An Experienced Pinellas County Family Law And Paternity Attorney

Call St. Petersburg family law firm William B. Bennett, P. A. at (727) 821-8000 or contact us online for more information about methods of establishing paternity.