Petition To Establish Paternity Florida

You must file a response called an "Answer" within 20 days after being served with legal papers and a summons. The Answers and supporting documents for the most common Family Division proceedings can be obtained on the Florida Courts website at www.flcourts.org.

To voluntarily establish paternity, both the father and mother must sign what's called a Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity form (Form PA-CS 611) ("VAP") in front of a witness, which can be any person over age 18 other than the mother or the father.

Write clearly, and use your own words. Use bulleted lists for your major points. Don't insult or bash your ex. Attach evidence such as pay stubs or bank statements, but redact SSN and account numbers. Affirm that you are making your statement under oath, and under penalty of perjury.

An acknowledgment of paternity will require some basic information including the child's full name, mother's full name, and father's full name. The father's date of birth, address, and Social Security number are also needed. The AOP must be signed and notarized by both parents.

Pull the header information from the plaintiff's petition. Title your Answer Answer to Plaintiff's Petition/Complaint. Center this title and make it bold. Introduce yourself. Admit, deny, or claim that you lack sufficient knowledge to admit or deny each of the plaintiff's numbered allegations.

Fill out your court forms. Fill out 1 of these court forms too if the complaint asks for child support: Have your forms reviewed. Make at least 2 copies of all your forms. Serve your papers on the LCSA/DCSS. Have the person who served your Answer fill out the Proof of Service.

Write in the name and address of the person who filed the Complaint against you, or the name and address of their attorney. You can find this on the Summons that you received. At the end, add your address and phone number and sign the answer.

If you decide to respond, you will have to pay the current filing fee. If you decide not to respond, then after 30 days from the date you were served with the Petition, the other party can enter you into a default status (which means that you can no longer respond).