Fathers play a vital role in a child’s life. For unwed fathers wishing to maintain a relationship with their child, but have parted ways with the mother, this may prove to be a challenge. At Rafool, LLC, we have represented clients who wish to maintain visitation rights or establish a joint custody agreement with the other parent.

When a committed yet unmarried couple has a child, paternity may not be legally presumed. This means that the father may have little to no custody or visitation rights nor can they make decisions regarding the welfare of the child. The easiest way to potentially avoid these complications is for the father to ensure that their name is on the child’s birth certificate. Should the other parent contest the father’s claim, the court may be petitioned for the purposed of having a paternity test done.

Once paternity is established/confirmed, the unwed father receives the same rights as if he were legally married and the child receives the same benefits, such as family history access or becoming the father’s estate beneficiary. As the child’s legal father, it’s important to remember there is a financial responsibility attached.

This update is provided by the firm Rafool, LLC. We have a strong reputation throughout Florida and we have numerous years of experience representing clients involved in complex divorce cases as well as other family law matters. Should you have any domestic or family issue, we are here to assist you by providing educated advice and skilled, professional advocacy. Call 305-567-9400 to speak with one of our family law attorneys Miami or the best divorce attorney Miami.

This information is provided for educational or informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. The information is not provided in the course of an attorney-client relationship and is not intended to substitute for legal advice.