Tampa Disestablishment of Paternity Attorney
In certain cases, a man is wrongly told that he is the biological father of a child, for which a child support obligation is created. If he believes that he is not, in fact, the father of the child, he may go through the legal process of disestablishing his paternity. Essentially, you will end up taking a paternity test that determines whether you are the father or not. If not, the support obligation can be terminated, relinquishing you from further financial obligations to the child. Disestablishing paternity is a complex issue, and one that must be undertaken with the legal aid of an experienced family law attorney. The Tampa disestablishment of paternity attorneys at The Law Office of Laura A. Olson, P.A., can help you get started at once.
How Often Do Non-Biological Fathers End Up Paying For Child Support For Someone Else’s Child?
According to research performed in Belgium, only one to two percent of men end up unknowingly raising a child that is not their own. However, the research did not include men who are wrongly burdened with child support for a child that is not their own. While research is limited in this area, it is certainly not unheard of. In fact, the issue is common enough for Florida to create a very specific set of laws governing the process of disestablishing fatherhood, or paternity, in order to cease further payment of child support.
How to Disestablish Paternity
According to Florida Statute 742.18, a man who wants to disestablish paternity must file a petition in the circuit court that has jurisdiction over the case and the petition must also be served to the mother, legal guardian, or custodian of the child. The petition must include:
- An affidavit signed by the petitioner that new information that has come to the petitioner’s knowledge that is related to the paternity of the child;
- Results of scientific test that are administered within 90 days prior to filing the petition, which indicate that the petitioner cannot be the father of the child or an affidavit from the petitioner stating he did not have access to the child to have scientific testing performed prior to the petition; and
- An affidavit stating that the petitioner is current on all child support payments for the child for whom they are trying to disestablish paternity from or that he has mostly complied with the child support obligation;
A Tampa Lawyer Can Help You Disestablish Paternity
If you have come across new evidence and believe that you have wrongly been established as a child’s father, it is important to speak with a knowledgeable Tampa attorney about disestablishing paternity. We can help you file the petition in court, request the court make the child accessible for scientific testing, and more. While these cases can be complex, the result could free you up from the financial burden of paying child support for a child that is not yours to begin with. Contact The Law Office of Laura A. Olson, P.A. today at 813-222-0888 to schedule a free consultation with one of our skilled paternity attorneys.
