Let's Keep This Out of Court: The Pros and Cons of Filing a Paternity/Child Custody Case

Mothers: "If he is taking care of our kids, I do not need to go to court."

Fathers: "If she lets me see our kids, I do not need to go court."

Many parents struggle to make a decision as to whether they will file a Paternity/ Custody Case against their child's other parent.

The PROS to filing a paternity/ timesharing case:

Establish a consistent plan for timesharing/custody and communication between parents
Establish consistent child support payments, if applicable
Both parents will have equal rights
Both parents would have to agree to any relocation with the child (moving out of county/state/more than 50 miles)
Receive help from law enforcement if either parent is not allowing time with the child

The CONS to filing a paternity/ timesharing case:

Cost: There are filing fees and mediation fees required for all family law cases. Attorneys Fees is also a concern for many, but a qualified Family Law Attorney may offer payment plans and explore fee waivers for you.

Ultimately, the only drawback to filing a Paternity Case is the cost, but as stated above a Family Law Attorney can help make their fees more manageable with fee waivers and payment plans.

Call Lakeisha R. Simms, Attorney at Law at (813)510-6000 for a FREE consultation to see how the firm can help you start your Family Law Case Today.

Lakeisha R. Simms, Attorney at Law is a law firm practicing primarily in the areas of small business law, family law, and wills & estate planning. We service clients in their businesses and in our offices located in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties.

This is intended for informational purposes and is not intended as legal advice or a substitute for hiring an attorney. Furthermore, by sharing this information, it is in no way intended to establish an attorney - client relationship with the reader.