In Florida, an unmarried mother has sole parental rights until paternity is legally established. An unmarried father has no enforceable parenting rights until he goes through the legal process of establishing paternity, either through a voluntary acknowledgment or a court proceeding. For Fort Myers fathers in this situation, establishing paternity is the prerequisite to everything else: time-sharing, parental responsibility, and any future modification rights.
Once paternity is established, the court applies the same best interests framework used in divorce-related custody cases. The unmarried status of the parents does not diminish either party's potential claim to parenting time. Brodzki Jacobs helps unmarried parents in Fort Myers understand where they stand legally and what steps are required to formalize their parental rights. Contact the firm to get that process started on the right footing.
