How would go about changing my child’s last name?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
How would go about changing my child’s last name?
She thinks my last name is hers and she’s about to start school. Everyone in the household has the same last name except her and she is left confused when she it told her last name. Her father had not had any contact with her for about 2 years now. Would this be possible? What are his rights after this long of no contact?
Asked on October 11, 2012 under Family Law, Illinois
Answers:
M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
These are two different questions: can I change her last name and what are her father's rights. Her father's rights are determined by law and your agreement or court order in place. If he is not exercising his rights to seeing her then you should speak with an attorney about your options. If by changing her name you mean your present spouse will be adopting her then you need a termination of her father's parental rights. If you just want to change her name then you need her biological father's consent. If your name is your legal name then what you can do is to legally hyphenate the name and you will not need his consent for that. Then she will be lucky to have two last names. Good luck.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.