How to Fill Out Florida Form 12.951(b) (w/ Examples) + FAQs

If you are a Florida man who has discovered that you are not the biological father of a child you are legally responsible for, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.951(b) — the Order Disestablishing Paternity and/or Terminating Child Support Obligation — is the proposed order you submit to the judge to formally end your legal paternity, your child support obligation, or both. This guide walks you through every section of the form, provides realistic filled-in examples, and answers the most common questions self-represented (pro se) parents and family-law practitioners ask.

Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Florida family law is fact-specific. If your case involves contested facts, public assistance, or a Department of Revenue child-support file, consult a licensed Florida family-law attorney.

What Form 12.951(b) Actually Is

Form 12.951(b) is not the petition — it is the proposed order the judge signs at the end of a disestablishment-of-paternity case brought under section 742.18, Florida Statutes. The companion Form 12.951(a) is the petition that starts the case. The (b) form is what the court enters once the petitioner has proven the statutory elements.

The form was amended in 2018 to replace several gendered references with “the other parent,” reflecting the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges. The current revision date you should use is 06/18 unless the Florida Courts Forms page has posted a newer version.

When to Use It

You use Form 12.951(b) when all of the following are true, as required by § 742.18(1), Fla. Stat.:

Newly discovered evidence has come to light since the original paternity determination or support order.
Scientific testing (DNA) was conducted within 90 days before filing or you have moved the court to order it.
The petitioner is current on child support or has substantially complied.
The child was conceived without artificial insemination during marriage to the other parent.
The petitioner did not prevent the biological father from asserting his rights.
The child is under 18.
None of the disqualifying acts in § 742.18(2), Fla. Stat. apply (marrying the mother as reputed father, sworn acknowledgment, signing the birth certificate, written promise to support, ignoring a state testing order, or signing a voluntary acknowledgment under § 742.10(4)).

Where to Get the Blank Form

Download the official PDF from any of these sources:

The order must be neatly typed, not handwritten — most circuits will reject a handwritten proposed order, and the Sixth Circuit packet explicitly says the form “must be accurately and neatly typed for the Judge to sign.”

Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out Every Field

Below is a section-by-section walkthrough following the order in which fields appear on the official PDF.

1. Caption (Top of Page 1)

In the Circuit Court of the ___ Judicial Circuit, in and for ___ County, Florida. Enter the judicial circuit number and county where the case is filed. For example, Hillsborough County is the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit.
Case No.: Use the case number assigned by the clerk when you filed the 12.951(a) petition.
Division: Usually “Family” or a letter assigned by the clerk.
Petitioner / Respondent: Petitioner is the man seeking disestablishment; Respondent is the other parent (and/or the Florida Department of Revenue if the case is a DOR-IV-D matter).

2. Title

The title is preprinted: ORDER DISESTABLISHING PATERNITY AND/OR TERMINATING CHILD SUPPORT OBLIGATION. Do not change it.

3. Findings of Fact (Numbered Paragraphs 1–8)

These mirror the statutory elements in § 742.18. Most of the language is preprinted; you simply confirm the facts presented at the hearing support each finding. The Pasco Clerk’s official copy lists these findings:

Newly discovered evidence of non-paternity has been presented.
Scientific testing was conducted within 90 days, or the court ordered it.
The petitioner is current on support, or substantially current.
The petitioner is not in arrears in a manner that would bar relief.
The child(ren) were not conceived by artificial insemination during the marriage.
The petitioner did not prevent the biological father from asserting paternal rights.
The child(ren) were under 18 when the petition was filed.
Since learning he is not the biological father, the petitioner has not done any of the six disqualifying acts (a–f) listed on the form.

4. Decretal Paragraphs (“It is therefore ORDERED AND ADJUDGED”)

Check all that apply:

Paternity disestablished: Insert the petitioner’s full legal name and the child(ren)’s full legal names.
Child support terminated: Insert the petitioner’s full legal name and the child(ren)’s names whose support is being terminated.

If only paternity (not support) is at issue — for example, no support order exists — leave the second box blank.

5. Date, Location, and Judge’s Signature Block

DONE AND ORDERED on ___ in ___, Florida. Leave the date blank — the judge fills it in. Enter the city and county.
Circuit Judge signature line — leave blank.
Copies furnished to: List the petitioner, respondent, and any attorneys or the Department of Revenue if applicable.

Filled-In Example #1: Uncontested Disestablishment With Support Termination

Facts: John A. Smith was named the legal father of M.S. (DOB 03/12/2017) on the birth certificate after marrying Jane B. Doe. After the divorce, a 2024 DNA test (lab report attached) showed 0% probability of paternity. John is current on his $620/month support order and has not done any disqualifying acts.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE THIRTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT,
IN AND FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA

Case No.: 25-DR-001234
Division: D

JOHN A. SMITH,
   Petitioner,
and
JANE B. DOE,
   Respondent.

ORDER DISESTABLISHING PATERNITY AND
TERMINATING CHILD SUPPORT OBLIGATION

THIS CAUSE came before the Court on Petitioner's Verified Petition
to Disestablish Paternity and Terminate Child Support Obligation.
The Court, having reviewed the file and heard testimony, finds:

1. Newly discovered evidence — a DNA test report dated April 2, 2026
   from LabCorp — shows a 0% probability that Petitioner is the
   biological father of the minor child M.S.
[Findings 2–8 as preprinted, all satisfied.]

It is therefore ORDERED AND ADJUDGED:
[X] Petitioner's, JOHN A. SMITH, paternity of M.S. (DOB 03/12/2017)
    is disestablished.
[X] Petitioner's, JOHN A. SMITH, child support obligation to
    M.S. is terminated effective the date of this Order.

DONE AND ORDERED on __________ in Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida.

                                  ______________________________
                                  CIRCUIT JUDGE

Filled-In Example #2: Paternity Only, No Support Order

Facts: Carlos Rivera was listed on his son’s birth certificate but never had a support order entered. He learned through a 23andMe test that he is not the biological father.

In this scenario, the petitioner checks only the first box (paternity disestablished) and leaves the second decretal box blank, because there is no existing support order to terminate. The findings of fact still must all be made, even though paragraphs 3 and 4 (current on support / not in arrears) are satisfied vacuously.

Filled-In Example #3: Department of Revenue (IV-D) Case

Facts: Marcus Lee’s support order was established administratively by Florida DOR. DOR is a party. Marcus’s DNA test excluded him.

For DOR cases, the Copies furnished to block must include the DOR attorney of record, and the proposed order should be uploaded through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal with DOR designated as a service recipient. Otherwise, the form is filled out identically to Example #1.

How to File and Submit the Order

E-file the proposed order through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal — most circuits require this for self-represented litigants and attorneys alike, per Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.525.
Submit a Word version of the order to the judge’s chambers via the circuit’s online “Submit Proposed Order” portal (e.g., 13th Circuit, 12th Circuit).
Pay the filing fee for the underlying 12.951(a) petition — typically around $400, payable to the Clerk of the Circuit Court. There is no separate fee to submit the proposed order.
Serve the signed order on all parties using Form 12.915 Designation of Current Address.

Common Mistakes That Get the Order Rejected

Handwriting the order — judges’ chambers reject these on sight, as the Sixth Circuit packet warns.
Forgetting to check either decretal box — the order must do something.
Listing the wrong revision date in the footer — use (06/18) unless the Florida Courts Forms page has issued a newer revision.
Omitting the Department of Revenue from the service list in IV-D cases.
Naming children by full name in a public document — use initials and DOB to comply with Florida Rule 2.420 confidentiality requirements.
Filing the order before the judge has heard the petition — the (b) form is entered after the hearing, not before.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is Form 12.951(b) the same as the petition?

No. The petition is Form 12.951(a). Form 12.951(b) is the proposed order the judge signs at the end of the case, as explained by Hamilton Law.

2. How much does it cost to file?

The filing fee for the underlying disestablishment petition is set by the Clerk of the Circuit Court and is generally about $400 statewide, plus service-of-process fees through the sheriff or a private process server. There is no separate fee for submitting Form 12.951(b).

3. Do I need a hearing?

Yes. Under § 742.18(3), Fla. Stat., the court must make findings on the record. Most circuits, like the 12th Judicial Circuit, require a noticed hearing even in uncontested cases.

4. What if the other parent doesn’t respond?

If the respondent fails to answer within 20 days of service, you may file Form 12.922(a) Motion for Default, as outlined in the Seminole Clerk checklist. You then proceed to an uncontested final hearing and present the proposed Form 12.951(b) for signature.

5. Does disestablishment wipe out past-due child support?

No. Section 742.18(4), Fla. Stat. makes clear that disestablishment is prospective only — it does not relieve the petitioner of arrears that accrued before the order is entered. Form 12.951(b) terminates the ongoing obligation only.

6. Can a mother file Form 12.951(b)?

The 2018 amendments noted by The Florida Bar News made the language gender-neutral with respect to “the other parent,” but the underlying statute is designed for the legal father to disestablish himself. A mother seeking to challenge a man’s paternity generally proceeds under Chapter 742 paternity provisions, not 12.951.

7. What evidence do I need at the hearing?

At minimum: a DNA test report from an accredited lab dated within 90 days of filing, proof that you are current on support (payment history from Florida DOR or the clerk), and your sworn testimony addressing each disqualifying act listed in finding #8 of the form, as itemized in the Pasco order template.

8. Will my name come off the birth certificate?

A signed Form 12.951(b) is the legal predicate, but the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics requires a separate amendment application along with a certified copy of the order. Granting disestablishment does not automatically alter the birth record.

9. Can I do this without a lawyer?

Yes — the form is part of Florida’s self-help approved forms and is designed for pro se use, as documented in the 13th Circuit Self-Help Packet #44. However, contested cases — especially those where the mother disputes the DNA evidence or where DOR objects — are difficult without counsel.

10. How long does the whole process take?

Uncontested cases typically conclude within 60–120 days of filing the 12.951(a) petition, depending on docket congestion at your local circuit court. Contested cases involving evidentiary hearings can take 6–12 months or longer.

Related Florida Family Law Forms

Related reading