UNMARRIED COUPLES / PATERNITY

 Unmarried Couples & Florida Law        Making the decision to end a long-term relationship is never easy, regardless of your marital status. Over the years, unmarried couples have begun to encounter many of the same legal issues experienced by divorcing married couples. Today, various laws and legal techniques exist to address these issues for both heterosexual and same-sex unmarried couples.We are prepared to help unmarried couples  deal with the following legal matters:

       Unmarried couples cannot become "common law married" in Florida, which means that the Florida State legislature has not developed any statutory law addressing the division of property at the end of a relationship involving an unmarried couple. As a result, the Florida courts have developed case law addressing the division of property when an unmarried couple ends their relationship.

Paternity Or Parentage Cases        

        Florida law law delineates parentage and paternity guidelines in "the paternity statute," in Florida Statute  Section 742. This law typically applies to unmarried, heterosexual couples who have a child but may also apply to same-sex married couples who, for example, have a child through assisted reproductive therapy or surrogacy. The paternity statutes may be used to establish a "parenting plan" for a child whose parents are unmarried. The paternity statutes also provide methods of establishing parentage for parents who were not married at the time of their child's birth.

Older Couples        

        Older couples may choose to refrain from marriage for a variety of reasons. Some couples want to avoid losing pension benefits from a previous marriage while having access to certain rights for their new partner.

Disestablishment of Paternity Or Parentage Cases        

        Florida law law delineates disestablishment of paternity guidelines in "the paternity statute," in Florida Statute Section 742. This law typically applies to fathers that believed that they were the father of a child and then later find out that they are not. This may also come into play for mothers that had a child with another man other than their husband during the time in which she was married.           

If you are in a unmarried relationship and are unsure of your rights or responsibilities as a parent, do not hesitate to contact our firm today. We can inform you of your legal rights and options.