There are several reasons people may wish to establish paternity of children.  First, a man who is allegedly the father of a child may wish to establish paternity or request DNA testing to obtain child custody.  Second, if the alleged father does not want joint or sole custody, he may want visitation and will have to prove paternity to get the court to agree to his request.

Another reason an alleged other may wish to establish paternity is because he wants to revoke his voluntary declaration of parentage.  This usually happens when a man felt pressured to sign the declaration.

Men are not the only people who may wish to establish paternity.  Mothers may seek paternity tests when they want to receive child support payments from alleged fathers and will have to prove biological relationships exist between their children and alleged fathers.

If you have questions about paternity, contact our law office today to set up a consultation with a Jacksonville family law attorney who can help.

Recently, one of Tiger Woods' alleged mistresses filed legal documents in Manatee County, Florida.  The mistress, who filed the action under her legal name of Melinda Jannette, is asking that a judge determine the paternity of her 9 year old son, Austin Brinling.  The respondent listed on Jannette's petition was listed as Elderick Woods.

TMZ reports that the documents and petition were created to "establish paternity, parental responsibility, time-sharing, and/or child support of a minor child or children."  The documents also state that the person filing is trying to legally establish who is the father of a child.

At this time, the 9 year old is staying with Melinda's mother and the grandmother asserts that a DNA test was performed in 2002.  The test showed that another man was the boy's father.

However, Melinda asserts that her mother does not have any real DNA results and she plans to have Tiger submit to testing.

Are you hoping to establish the paternity of your child in Jacksonville?  If so, now is the time to contact Ellerin Hutchinson and discuss your case with a Jacksonville family lawyer.

When it comes to establishing paternity, people will have two options:  blood tests or DNA tests.  In the medical community, it is believed that of the two types of testing, DNA tests are the most reliable at proving paternity.

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) is the genetic material that exists in every cell of a human's body.  Every human has unique DNA, unless the human is a twin.  A person gets half of his/her DNA from his/her mother, and the other half from his/her father. 

When a DNA test is performed on a child, medical professionals will compare the genetic characteristics of the child to the mother.  The characteristics that cannot be found in the mother are then believed to have been inherited by the father.  During DNA testing, if the alleged father's DNA matches the child's other DNA characteristics, there is a biological relationship and paternity is established.

Would you like to learn more about paternity testing?  Contact Ellerin Hutchinson today to discuss your family matter with a Jacksonville family law attorney.

Some insurance companies are now requiring men to prove their paternity before they can obtain coverage for their child under their health insurance policy. The only way to prove one’s paternity is by taking a DNA test, so many men are getting DNA tests in order to obtain the proof they need to enroll their children on their insurance policy.

DNA testing is the most accurate method of confirming the biological father a child, and often the only proof accepted by insurance companies and the court. If you need help establishing paternity, an attorney at Ellerin Hutchinson can help. Matters involving paternity are often complex. Sometimes the DNA testing services used are not recognized by the courts or the insurance company you are dealing with, and therefore you may need a second test. Other times the child’s mother may get in the way by contesting your paternity. At Ellerin Hutchinson, you can rest assured you will receive help and guidance from an experienced Jacksonville paternity lawyer who is truly committed to protecting your interests and helping you achieve what you set out to do.

Particularly in regards to health insurance coverage, we can help whether you are trying to get your child included in your policy, or if a woman is claiming you are the father of her child and wants you to provide coverage. If you don’t think the child is yours, we can help you obtain a paternity test. If the test results indicate you are not the biological father you will not be held responsible for providing insurance coverage.

To learn more about our services, please feel free to contact Ellerin Hutchinson today at (904) 866-4489!

Both men and women involved in paternity disputes can find experienced and dedicated legal counsel at the Law Office of Scott Ellerin. Jacksonville paternity lawyer Scott Ellerin has a thorough knowledge and understanding of Florida's paternity laws, and can help with your legal objective, whether that is to establish paternity or disestablish paternity.

An attorney is usually contacted for one of two reasons:

1. The mother of a child wants a man to take a DNA test to prove he is the father. If the man is determined to be the biological father, the mother is often able to get child support payments to help support the child.

2. By men who think a child is theirs, but need a DNA test to prove it. Often times the mother will not let a man spend time with the child. By proving he is the biological father, a man has grounds for asking the court for custody or visitation rights.

3. By men who want to contest their paternity. Women often claim that a man is the biological father of their child in an effort to secure child support payments. After taking a DNA test, if a man is determined NOT to be the biological father of a child, he will not be responsible for continuing to support the child.

It should be mentioned that even if man is determined not the be the biological father, the court might still require him to pay past-due child support, or even continue making child support payments. The latter is usually applied in cases where a man has acted as a father in the child's life for more than two years and, if he were to walk away and fail to make payments, it would jeopardize the child's best interests.

If any of these situations apply to you, please feel free to  contact the Law Office of Scott Ellerin today at (904) 866-4489.