In a column published on 12/4 in the Daily Business Review, Family Law Attorney Rebecca Palmer explores the critical legal, emotional, and financial issues that arise from preterm birth, especially for unmarried, domestic-partnered, or separated parents. Each year in the United States, approximately 370,000 babies are born prematurely, with NICU costs ranging from tens of thousands to over a million dollars.

“For married parents, Florida law presumes shared ‘natural guardianship,’ granting both equal rights to make medical decisions. However, unmarried parents do not share that automatic presumption unless paternity is legally established,” explains Rebecca L. Palmer. “Without a court-approved parenting plan or custody order, hospitals may defer to the parent listed on the birth certificate, sometimes excluding the other parent from participating in care or even visiting in the NICU.”

Family law attorneys can help parents navigate and formalize custody and decision-making authority through multiple avenues, including an Emergency Petition to Establish Parental Responsibility or a Temporary Parenting Plan. Florida courts are increasingly open to expedited orders in these circumstances; these tools can streamline legal action, allowing both parents to have equal access to make critical decisions and receive timely updates.

“Every premature birth story involves courage, resilience, and uncertainty, but to fully honor these ‘little fighters,’ it’s equally important to support the parents standing beside them, regardless of their marital status, in their efforts to bring their child home safely and create a healthy, happy future for all,” said Palmer.

Read the story in full; click here (subscriber-based).