For married parents, child support is usually decided as part of the divorce, folded into the final judgment along with time-sharing and property division. For unmarried parents, support generally cannot be ordered until paternity is legally established, which is why a paternity case and a support case often move together.
Knowing which process applies keeps a parent from filing the wrong action and losing time. A child support lawyer in Lakeland can identify the right route and handle the establishment from the first filing through the order.
