Jacksonville Paternity Lawyer

Preserving the Rights & Responsibility of Florida's Fathers

We represent fathers seeking legal recognition of paternity in order to secure the rights of child custody and visitation, as well as men who face demands for financial support of children with whom they share no biological relationship. An attorney from our firm can also assist you if you are a mother and want to prove paternity so that you can secure the child support payments you need to provide for your children's needs and well-being.

Our team, equipped with an experienced Jacksonville family lawyer, understands what a sensitive situation this may be for you, and will approach your case with the delicate touch necessary to resolve the matter in your favor.

Call or visit our office today for an initial consultation to review your legal options and to allow us to begin working on your case.

Establishing Paternity in Jacksonville

From a legal perspective, establishing paternity through the Department of Revenue means the father is legally recognized as the natural parent of the child. In cases where the child is born out of wedlock, the law does not acknowledge the father until paternity is legally established. Once paternity is established, the mother and the father of the child are both entitled to certain legal rights and benefits regarding their child.

Obligations of Legally Established Paternity

Both parents have a legal obligation to provide support and guidance to their children. Beyond the obligation, however, is the basic right of a parent to be involved in the raising of their child. Even more importantly, the welfare of the child is the most important facet of a paternity case. From either the mother's or father's perspective, there are various situations which may be legally resolved once paternity is established, such as:

• The mother wishes to receive child support from the father, who is denying paternity.
• The mother wants the father to take an active role in the raising of the child and needs a court-ordered visitation schedule.
• The father wants to spend time with his child but the mother is refusing to acknowledge his right to do so.
• The father wants a court order for child custody or visitation based on his paternal rights.
• The father wants to stop paying support for a child he does not believe is his own.

If you have a situation where the paternity of your child has been challenged, you need the legal advice of a skilled and experienced paternity lawyer in Jacksonville who can take you through all the necessary steps to establish paternity and look out for your rights and the rights of your child.

While in some instances a name change can be conducted by filing the appropriate paperwork, it can become increasingly complex, particularly in the case of any dispute or disagreement regarding the name change. Whether you are a mother who does not want your child to have his alleged father's last name, if you are a man looking to establish paternity in order to have your child's name changed to yours, or if you are a mother or a father who wishes to make a change to your child's name, Hutchinson Law's Jacksonville divorce attorneys can help.

Undoing What's Already Been Done

Even after paternity has been established and recognized by law, it is possible to disestablish paternity and terminate any further obligation to pay child support when the male is not, in fact, the natural father of the child. A case dealing with disestablishment of paternity means the person previously designated as the father wishes to prove that he is not the paternal father of the child and therefore is not legally obligated to support or be responsible for that child.

Disestablishment of paternity is an extensive process and requires the services of a highly skilled, knowledgeable lawyer to see the case through to a successful resolution. At Hutchinson Law, the Jacksonville paternity attorneys who have the experience to take on a case of this nature, presenting it in the best light so as to defend the rights of his client.

If a father believes that he is not the biological father of his children, he has the right to challenge their paternity and seek relief from paying further support. Due to the potential emotional harm to the children involved, as well as the general stance of the court regarding acting in the best interests of the child, the aid of a highly skilled paternity lawyer is crucial to the success of a case to disestablish paternity. The Jacksonville paternity attorneys at Hutchinson Law know how to guide their clients through the myriad details of this procedure and present their case as favorably as possible.

​Contact our firm today to discuss your case and legal options!