There are 2 main issues in all paternity cases: A Parenting Plan which includes a contact schedule, and Child Support.
A Parenting Plan tells who has parental responsibility for the child or children, and it is usually a shared parental responsibility between the parents.
Sometimes, certain aspects of parental responsibility are designated to one of the parents — for example, which parent’s home address will have the school zone for the children.
The contact schedule is initially designed to give each parent equal time with the children, but work schedules of a parent may make that not possible, or the distance between a parent and the children’s school may make a 50/50 contact not possible.
If the circumstances that caused one parent to get less than 50/50 contact suddenly change, then you can ask the judge for a modification. For example, in the original paternity case your work schedule caused you to have less than 50/50 contact with your child or children and then your work schedule changes so that you can have more contact, you can apply for a modification to get more contact with your child or children.
Child Support is determined by a State of Florida calculation. It is not an amount that the parents agree to. Often, the person who pays child support does not fully understand this, and child support becomes an unnecessary issue between the parents.
Note that the number of overnights that you spend with your child or children within a year is one of the determining factors in calculating child support.
Daycare costs, after-school care costs, health and dental insurance, and uncovered medical expenses are also figured into the child support calculation.
If you are looking to hire an attorney, call Dunlop, Dunlop & Dunlop at 407 628-4300 for a free consultation about your particular situation.