Paternity Testing in Fort Lauderdale: What to Expect and Why It Matters

Questions about paternity in Fort Lauderdale can arise in many different circumstances. An unmarried father may want to establish his rights, a mother may need to identify the legal father to get child support, or a husband may have doubts about a child born during the marriage.

These are all difficult situations. Our experienced Fort Lauderdale paternity lawyer provides trusted legal guidance to clients in these cases. Find out how Florida establishes paternity, why it’s so important, and what to expect throughout the process.

How To Establish Paternity in Broward County

Under Chapter 742 of the Florida Statutes, there are several ways to establish paternity. The one that best fits your situation depends on the circumstances surrounding the child’s birth.

When a married couple has a child, there’s an automatic presumption that the husband is the legal father. When a child is born outside of marriage, options for establishing paternity include:

• A Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity, signed by both parents at the hospital at the time of the child’s birth or later through the Florida Department of Health.
• The Florida Department of Revenue may try to prove paternity through its Child Support Program through DNA testing.
• You can file a paternity petition through the Broward County Family Court, which also relies on DNA results.

Whether you are a mother trying to get support for her child or a presumed father, paternity proceedings can provide the answers you need.

What the Fort Lauderdale Paternity Testing Process Looks Like

DNA testing is the most reliable, widely used method for determining paternity. It is also non-invasive and pain-free. A certified lab tech collects a cheek swab from the child, the mother, and the alleged father. Results are typically available within a few business days to two weeks.

Florida courts treat a result showing a 99 percent or higher probability of paternity as conclusive evidence of biological fatherhood. Here’s what to expect once paternity is established:

• The father’s name can be added to the child’s birth certificate.
• The court can enter a child support order.
• The father has legal rights to child time-sharing, visitation, and to be involved in decisions that impact the child’s life.
• The child acquires inheritance rights and may become eligible for the father’s health insurance, Social Security benefits, and, if applicable, military benefits.

Proving paternity in Fort Lauderdale is about way more than financial responsibility and child support payments. For fathers, it allows them to be active and involved in their child’s life. For Broward County children, it provides a sense of identity, security, and access to benefits they might otherwise not receive.

Request a Confidential Consultation With an Experienced Fort Lauderdale Paternity Lawyer

Paternity cases are sensitive matters. Whether you are seeking to establish paternity in Broward County, challenge a finding, or understand how the process works, Vanessa L. Prieto Law Offices provides the trusted, professional legal help you need.

Reach out today to request a confidential consultation with our experienced Fort Lauderdale paternity lawyer.

Sources:

leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0742/0742ContentsIndex.html

floridahealth.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/DH432-Acknowledgment-Paternity-Aff-1-2022.pdf

floridarevenue.com/childsupport/Pages/paternity.aspx