Paternity
The law firm of Jorge Luis Colón, P.A. is proud to represent men and women in paternity disputes. Paternity disputes arise in two situations: (1) a mother claims that a particular male is the father of her children; or (2) a male claims to be the biological father of a child.
Our firm has the experience to represent both mothers and alleged fathers in custody disputes. Our firm can help you understand and protect your rights during this difficult period.
We are happy to resolve or litigate issues involving:
- Protecting clients from false claims of paternity
- Establishing paternity
- Disestablishment of paternity
- Calculating child support
- Retroactive child support
- Visitation
- Custody
- Registration in Florida’s Putative Father Registry
What is Florida’s Putative Father Registry?
Florida has established a Putative Father Registry in order to preserve the rights of an unmarried birth father to notice and consent in adoption cases. The Registry is established and operated through the Office of Vital Statistics.
If you believe you are the father of a child born or about to be born to a woman that you no longer have a relationship with and you want to parent the child, it is extremely important that you seek out information regarding the Putative Father Registry and file a Claim of Paternity form with the Registry.
The information you will be required to give includes your name, address, date of birth and physical description. Additional information requested includes the birth mother’s name, physical description of the mother, the date, place, and location of conception of the child, the name, date, and place of birth or estimated date of birth of the expected minor child.
By filing the Claim of Paternity form with the Registry, you are claiming your paternity for the child and confirm your willingness and intent to support the child for whom you are claiming paternity. Additionally, you consent to submit to DNA testing. This may result in you being required to pay child support.