A paternity lawsuit is more important than simply establishing who the natural and legal father of a child is.  It confers the rights and duties of a parent upon the father and the entitlements of the child to be supported by his natural father and to inherit from him,   among other things.  Without a valid judgment of paternity, the court cannot issue a valid order for support against the father or any other order requiring him to accept and fulfill his parental responsibilities.

DNA testing is the most widely used type of testing in Florida.  In this kind of testing, the genetic code of the child is compared with that of the mother and father.  Since the child inherits his genetic material from each of his parents, a comparison can be made to precisely determine whether the alleged father is the biological father.

Normally the petitioning party pays the cost.  If the putative father is determined to be the biological parent, the court has the authority to order him to reimburse the mother.  Based upon the respective financial condition of both parties, the court can require the father to make a reasonable contribution to the mother’s attorney’s fees and costs in bringing the suit and to also pay part or all of the mother’s expenses for prenatal care and the birth of the child.

Before talking to anyone representing the mother or who may be seeking information from you about any relationship you may have had with her, you would be best served to come in and talk to one of our attorneys to protect your rights and to learn how your case might be defended.