Paternity Pre-Suit Mediation - never married with children

Florida Supreme Court Certified Civil, Family & Dependency Law Mediator, Kathy Macchione Leggett. An Experienced Divorce Mediator You Can Trust.

When a couple has a child or children together and they have never been married, the court calls the formal establishment of a parenting plan a ‘Paternity’ suit. This does not mean you need to take a blood test or prove you are the parents. It simply means you are establishing with the court that you are the parents and you are formalizing your co-parenting and child support obligations with the court.

Paternity Pre-Suit Mediation can provide a non-adversarial option to creating a parenting plan now that you both are no longer residing together. It has proven to be an excellent alternative to litigation. All aspects concerning your children can be resolved through Mediation including creating your parenting plan, summer and holiday time-sharing, as well as calculating child support.

Statistics show that when a couple work toward creating their own Parenting Plan, that they are more likely to abide by it and be satisfied with it as opposed to it being ordered by a judge.

As a Mediator, I do not represent either party. I work for both of you and guide you to make decisions that are in your best interest as well as to accomplish the best outcome for your futures.

Pre-Suit Paternity is a voluntary process and will not take place unless you agree to participate. Mediation is your opportunity to determine the outcome of your divorce.

In the event one party files a petition through the court, the judge will eventually order the two of you to participate in the Mediation process hoping that you come to resolve your differences on your own. If a decision cannot be made, the judge will ultimately rule on your case regarding all issues concerning your children.

By attempting Mediation first, the aggravation of litigation can often times be avoided. Litigation is typically an expensive process as well as a time-consuming process. These factors need to be weighed when you go into mediation. For example, “Do I want to come to an agreement where I know what I am getting now? Or do I want to litigate and wait months or possibly years down the road to have a judge decide on the final outcome?” Neither decision is a bad decision. But the factors simply need to be applied to your individual situation.

At Mediation & Counseling Consultants, we believe only you can know what is best for yourself, your children and your future. Over the past 20 years, we’ve assisted hundreds of couples in resolving very important decisions, during a highly emotional time of transition.

We are here for you throughout the entire process until your Final Judgment is signed by the court.

Contact Kathy Macchione Leggett at Mediation & Counseling Consultants about your Divorce or Family Law Mediation needs.

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