Establishing paternity under Florida law, although as simple as the potential (putative) father and child submitting to a DNA test, which is no more than a mouth swab, actually contains many sub-parts that impact a case.

Even if mother and father agree on paternity, legal establishment of paternity is important for many reasons, including:

• Establishment of child support
• Determination of a time sharing schedule for both parents and parented responsibility
• Legal establishment of death benefits, both governmental and private, that a child may receive upon the untimely death of the father
• Determination of the child's sole caretaker in the event of the untimely death of the mother

The Law Office of Cindy S. Vova, P.A. assists both mothers and fathers in establishing paternity. Many times, either before or after the birth of a child, a father may not desire to participate in a child's life. That does not, however, relieve him of his child support obligation.

Under Florida paternity law, a parent may seek retroactive child support for a period of 24 months prior to filing a paternity action. That means a mother may seek child support for a 24 month old child retroactive to the child's birth and, in certain situations, for prenatal and birth expenses as well. However, if a mother waits until the child is 4, the retroactive support only dates back to age 2.

Our firm also vigorously represents the rights of father who seek to participate in their child's life. We firmly believe a child is entitled to a mother and a father, and the child should benefit to the special but different qualities that each brings into the child's life. That the parties never married is irrelevant. We first seek understanding between the parties to help accomplish a meaningful time sharing schedule. However, when more peaceful means of establishing time sharing are unsuccessful, the Law Office of Cindy S. Vova fights tirelessly for your rights as a parent.

Contact us by email through this website or call us to see how we can help you with a paternity situation.