Paternity Disestablishment
When the paternity of a child is established by a court or by voluntary acknowledgment, the
child's birth certificate is amended by the state to add the name of the legal father.
Once paternity is established, the legal father owes the child a duty of support and remains
the legal father until that status is changed by court order.
If there is a child support order, the legal father is obligated to pay support as ordered.
What to Know about Disestablishing Paternity
- If the legal father is not the child's biological father, the legal father can try to have paternity
disestablished or an acknowledgment of paternity set aside. This must be done by the legal
father in court and is not a service the Child Support Program is legally able to provide.
- Sections 742.10(4) and 742.18, Florida Statutes, address setting aside a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity and disestablishment of paternity. This is a complicated legal matter that may require the services of a licensed Florida attorney. The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service may be of help in finding an attorney.
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