Is Proving Paternity Possible If A Father Has Passed?
If you are interested in accessing paternity information, you are not alone. Many families explore this scientific option. There is an array of reasons to establish paternity, including the desire to answer family health history concerns and to access financial resources. Monetary settlements are often required to ensure a child has the economic security they need to thrive.
Additionally, there are legal benefits to establishing paternity, from social security payments to veteran benefits, and inheritance concerns to address. When a father has passed away, establishing paternity may be more complicated, but it is still an option.
Other extended family members will likely need to be contacted if you want to establish paternity and your child’s father has passed away. To learn about how this process would proceed and the advantages and disadvantages to pursuing paternity documentation, talk to an Orlando divorce lawyer.
Requesting DNA Data from Relatives
Testing for DNA results is not novel, but like other areas of science the process has changed and improved over time. Because of exact results, accessing proof of paternity is possible even after a father has passed when DNA samples are provided by relatives. This could include one of the following relations:
- Paternal grandparents of the child.
- Aunts and uncles of children, the father’s biological siblings.
- Biological siblings of paternal grandparents.
DNA testing is a tool to establish paternity because the results provide connections through genes shared within a family. Samples need to be collected, stored, and analyzed carefully, particularly if the results of the tests will be introduced in a court of law. Accredited labs should be used in order to help sidestep the possibility of someone disputing the test results.
Bring Your Questions to a FL Family Lawyer
There are financial responsibilities when it comes to raising a family, and there are Florida laws in place to protect children, whether the parents were married when a child was born or not. That said, there are different routes forward depending on marital status, if both parents are alive, and what, if any, legal agreements are already in place
Accessing child support, inheritance funds, and monetary benefits is possible and an Orlando divorce lawyer can guide you through the process. To establish paternity, testing and court orders may be required. Family lawyers are familiar with the ins and outs of Florida family law and will be sure all of the correct paperwork is filed within set deadlines, smoothing the process for yourself and your children.
Is it time for you to access the facts you need to secure financial security for yourself and your child? Paternity tests could be one of the tools that lead to a favorable outcome for you and your family, depending on the facts of your situation. Bring all your child support questions, including those involving paternity, to the attention of the seasoned family law attorneys at Donna Hung Law. With years of Florida family law experience, our attorneys can strategize a path forward. To get started, call 407-999-0099 or contact us online to schedule an initial evaluation.
