When a couple have a child out of wed-lock, a paternity action is required to establish that the father is actually legally speaking the father of the child in order for the father to obtain all the rights and obligations which come with having a child. You do not need an attorney to handle this process, but we most certainly recommend retaining counsel. Having an attorney handle it for you will save you the emotional hardship of dealing with the other person and enables you to have someone who will fight for what is fair. You avoid the risk of being bullied or manipulated by the other person and you can be sure your side is heard.

At Rooney & Rooney, P.A., we have several years of experience with handling paternity actions and we know how difficult it is to handle the emotions that are tied in with these matters. We help our clients by dealing with the negotiations and we build their case for them so they do not have to worry about that while dealing with the stress of the emotions that come with it.

When a paternity action is filed, the issues of child support and parenting plan are addressed. If the parties cannot agree between the two of them on the issue of a parenting plan, the court will determine one for them. Child support is set in accordance with the Florida Statutory Guidelines and will depend on the parties’ incomes, number of children, cost of daycare, number of overnights, insurance etc.

It is important for father of children born out of wedlock to be aware of the importance of a paternity action. If one is not filed, they run the risk of not seeing their child and until paternity is established, the court will not be able to enforce time-sharing.