For an unmarried father in the state of Florida, what must he do to establish his rights as the child's father?

       First and foremost, register as the putative (presumed) father with the Florida Putative Father Registry.  This is the link :http://www.floridahealth.gov/certificates/certificates/birth/Putative_Father/index.html.  It costs a few dollars and you can get the form right on line.     The registry is designed to permit a man alleging to be the unmarried biological father of a child to preserve his right to notice and consent in the event of an adoption.  Without this, the mother could have another person adopt the child and you'd have no rights.    Next, you need to file a petition to establish paternity with the circuit court.  THIS IS ESSENTIAL AS IN THE ABSENCE OF SAME YOUR RIGHTS AS A FATHER WILL NOT BE ESTABLISHED.  DON'T WAIT....    Of course, along with establishing your rights as the father comes  your obligation to pay child support.  However, if you wait for the mother to pursue child support through the Department of Revenue and you get served, you will still have to file a separate case to establish your parental rights and to get a time sharing schedule.  So now is the time.   Although you can do this on your own, you are better off at least consulting with a family law attorney so you can get an overview of the process as it applies to your case, and then decide whether you should retain an attorney to represent you in the case. Best of luck, Cindy S. Vova Law Offices of Cindy S. Vova, P.A. Offices in Boca Raton and Broward County 954-316-3496 info@vovalaw.com