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tina.lewert@lewertlaw.com

301 Yamato Rd #4110, Boca Raton, FL 33431, United States

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Boca Raton Divorce Lawyer and Family Attorney

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Board Certified Boca Raton Paternity Lawyer

Your relationship with your child is one of the most important things in your life, and in Florida, protecting it often starts with establishing paternity. Tina L. Lewert, a Boca Raton paternity lawyer who is Board Certified by The Florida Bar, can help.

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Why Paternity Matters

For unmarried parents, paternity is the gateway to legal rights and responsibilities. Until it is established, a biological father may have no legal right to time-sharing or a say in decisions about his child, and a child may have no legal claim to support from that parent. Establishing parentage protects everyone involved, especially the child, and a knowledgeable paternity lawyer Boca Raton parents trust can guide you through it. As a paternity attorney Boca Raton families rely on, Tina L. Lewert helps parents across Palm Beach County establish, defend, and respond to paternity matters with professionalism, diligence, and respect.

When a child is born to a married couple, Florida law presumes the mother’s husband is the legal father. When the mother is unmarried at the time of birth, paternity must be established, either voluntarily or through the court, before the father has legal rights or obligations.

This matters because, in most cases, a child benefits from having both parents involved in their life. As a fathers rights attorney Boca Raton parents turn to, Tina L. Lewert helps fathers secure the legal standing to be part of their child’s life, and helps mothers and children establish a father’s responsibilities, including support. Establishing paternity gives a father the same opportunity to bond with and provide for his child that the law already extends to the mother.

Boca Raton Paternity Lawyer
Boca Raton Paternity Lawyer

Tina Lewert

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How to Establish Paternity in Florida

Florida law provides several ways to establish legal paternity:
  • Being married to the child's mother when the child is born
  • Signing a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity, witnessed or notarized as the law requires
  • Marrying the mother and updating the birth record with the Florida Office of Vital Statistics
  • Genetic (DNA) testing
  • A court order establishing paternity

A voluntary acknowledgment of paternity is often the simplest route when both parents agree on who the father is. Both sign under oath, and the acknowledgment can be rescinded within 60 days of signing, or before the date of a related court proceeding, whichever comes first. After that window, it becomes a legal establishment of paternity and can only be challenged in narrow circumstances such as fraud, duress, or a material mistake of fact. When you need to establish paternity Boca Raton FL parents can count on Lewert Law, and if the other parent disputes it, you may need to file a paternity action and proceed through the court.

Several people can begin a paternity case: the child’s mother, the man who believes he is or is alleged to be the father, the child through a legal representative, or the Florida Department of Revenue. Lewert Law also represents men who are falsely named as a child’s father and those facing paternity questions in the context of a divorce.

The Three Core Issues in a Paternity Case

Florida paternity proceedings generally turn on three connected issues.

The best interests of the child. As in any case involving children, Florida puts the best interests of the child above all else, and the court’s decisions follow from that standard.

Child support. Once paternity is established, Florida’s child support guidelines determine support based on both parents’ incomes, health insurance and childcare costs, and the time-sharing schedule. In Florida, child support is the child’s right, not a parent’s, so it cannot be bargained away for a parent’s benefit, and a judge can reject an agreement that strays too far from the guidelines. You can read more on our Boca Raton child support lawyer page.

The parenting plan. Establishing paternity opens the door to a parenting plan, which sets out parental responsibility and a time-sharing schedule. Florida law generally presumes that shared parental responsibility serves the child’s best interests, though a parent can ask the court for a different arrangement where the circumstances warrant it. Our Boca Raton child custody lawyer page explains how time-sharing works.

Why Work With a Board Certified Boca Raton Paternity Lawyer

Paternity cases are emotional, and they carry lasting legal consequences for parents and children alike. Working with a board-certified specialist means your case is handled by someone whose focus and experience in marital and family law have been formally recognized by The Florida Bar. Because Lewert Law keeps a deliberately limited caseload, the attorney you meet is the attorney who handles your matter.

That certified focus has been recognized by The Florida Bar and the wider legal profession:

  • Board Certified Specialist, Marital and Family Law, by The Florida Bar, 2009 to present
  • Nationally Board Certified in Family Trial Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy
  • U.S. News "Best Lawyers" 2023 to 2026, Family Law and Family Law Mediation
  • Super Lawyers Magazine's "Top Attorneys in Florida" 2013 to 2025

Serving Boca Raton and South Florida

Lewert Law is based in Boca Raton and handles paternity matters for clients throughout Palm Beach County and Broward County, including Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Lake Worth, Highland Beach, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, Coral Springs, and Parkland. As a Boca Raton family lawyer focused exclusively on marital and family law, Tina L. Lewert helps parents establish paternity and address the support and time-sharing that follow. Local paternity cases are generally heard in the Palm Beach County or Broward County family courts.

  • Board Certified Specialist, Marital and Family Law, by The Florida Bar, 2009 to present
  • Nationally Board Certified in Family Trial Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy
  • U.S. News "Best Lawyers" 2023 to 2026, Family Law and Family Law Mediation
  • Super Lawyers Magazine's "Top Attorneys in Florida" 2013 to 2025

Serving Boca Raton and South Florida

Lewert Law is based in Boca Raton and handles alimony matters for clients throughout Palm Beach County and Broward County, including Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Lake Worth, Highland Beach, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, Coral Springs, and Parkland. As a Boca Raton family law attorney focused exclusively on marital and family law, Tina L. Lewert handles alimony alongside the full range of related matters. Local divorce and alimony cases are generally heard in the Palm Beach County or Broward County family courts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is establishing paternity important?

Establishing paternity gives a child two legally recognized parents and gives an unmarried father legal standing for time-sharing, decision-making, and a relationship with his child. It also establishes a child's right to support. Without it, a biological father may have no enforceable rights, and a child may have no claim to support from that parent.

How do I establish paternity in Florida?

Paternity can be established by being married to the mother at the child's birth, by signing a valid voluntary acknowledgment of paternity, by updating birth records after marriage, through genetic testing, or by court order. Which route fits depends on your situation and whether the other parent agrees. If you need to establish paternity Boca Raton FL residents who face a dispute may need a court action to resolve it.

Can a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity be undone?

Yes, but only within a narrow window. Either signer can rescind a voluntary acknowledgment within 60 days of signing, or before the date of a related court proceeding, whichever is earlier. After that, it becomes a legal establishment of paternity and can be challenged only on grounds such as fraud, duress, or a material mistake of fact.

Who can file a paternity case in Florida?

A paternity case can be started by the child's mother, the man who believes he is or has been identified as the father, the child through a legal representative, or the Florida Department of Revenue. Lewert Law can advise you on filing or responding to a paternity action.

Does establishing paternity automatically set support and time-sharing?

Not by itself. Establishing paternity is the foundation, but parental responsibility, a time-sharing schedule, and child support are addressed in a related court action. Lewert Law handles both establishing paternity and putting the parenting plan and support order in place.

Where are Boca Raton paternity cases heard?

A paternity case is filed with the Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court, and for Boca Raton residents these cases are generally heard in the family division at the South County Courthouse, located at 200 W. Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach, the nearest county courthouse to Boca Raton.

Is there a paternity lawyer near me in Boca Raton?

Yes. Lewert Law is located at 301 Yamato Road, Suite 4110, in Boca Raton, and we serve clients throughout the city and the surrounding area. We hold many consultations by Zoom for convenience. To reach a Boca Raton paternity lawyer directly, call Lewert Law at (561) 544-6861.

Paternity is the foundation for several related matters:

Speak With a Boca Raton Paternity Lawyer

Establishing paternity protects your relationship with your child and your child’s future. To talk through your situation with a board-certified Boca Raton paternity lawyer, call Lewert Law at (561) 544-6861 or reach out through this site to schedule a confidential consultation.