I need to know how I can change my daughters last name?

Question

An exgirlfriend neglected to inform me that I had a 7 year old daughter until just recently. Her excuse was that she was afraid I would take my daughter away from her. DNA test came back 99.9% positive match. My wife and I have been trying to get to know my daughter over the past couple of months. Now it is becoming more difficult to get in touch with my daughter on the phone because either no one will answer the phone or she is gone to her aunt Theresa's home. This is not an aunt by blood but by marriage. This marriage has ended. The aunt told the mother that she would not allow me to change my daughters last name to mine in stead of a guy she is not related to and does not have any contact with. The aunt has no say in what decisions I make with my daughter but she strong arms my daughters mother into doing what she says. I have also considered trying for full custody of my daughter. My wife and I could provide for her much better.

Answer 1

When paternity was proven didn't you go to court for custody or child support issues? If not you need to now. Also once your name is added to the birth certificate then you need to draw up the legal documents to change her name, HOWEVER if the mother doesn't agree to it you will have a fight on your hands to get it done. Call an attorney and at least get legal visitation, that I would think would be a priority over her name.

Answer 2

You're probably not going to be successful in your bid to have your daughter's name changed. The mother pretty much has raised the child alone up until this point and the court probably would allow her to keep the current last name for the child. However, you should petition for shared custody of your daughter or very liberal visitation rights. You can't be denied visitation. You might not "win" on full custody unless the mother has demonstrated a pattern of neglect or is not fit as a parent.However, you can cite the fact that you were excluded from knowing that you are the father until recently and that you have been "locked out" of your daughter's life until recently which was harmful to your daughter. Get a good lawyer who has expertise in family law...

Answer 3

Honestly, you've been out of the girls life for 7 years. If you do this you will corrupt your life. Your'll just make everything bad. She can sue you for child support and have it dated back for 7 years. Trust she'll be doing alot better. You can't take a child away from her mother after not being around for 7 years. It's the mothers choice to not have your last name for her daughter. You can't just up and change it without her say so. The only thing you can do is wait it out. No court will give you full custody unless you sweat your butt of to prove she's an unfit mother. Which is hard to do unless she's on drugs or homeless. Bare with her sit her down and talk to her. Show up at her house. Do what you need to do to make this situation easy on your daughter. Your main priority is your child not which last name she has. You don't want your daughter growing up hating you for her mother not being in her life.

Answer 4

You can go to court and they can change it. In this case you should think and consider your daughters feelings. Her is a girl that is 7 for 7 years she never knew you and believe some other man was her father. Now if you just come in and try to change every thing she will feel you are trying to take away her father. Even if this man does not have any contact with her in the little girls mind he is her dad. You need to slowly introduce your self to her and go to a judge to allow you to have that time and stop her mother from blocking contact with you. Also wait a while before you go changing her name. Her name is who she is and with her mother sending her to an Aunt with the man she believed to be her father out of her life and a new man in it. This alone is too confusing for a small child without changing her name on top of it. Always put yourself in your daughters shoes and do what is her best interest not yours or her mothers or your wife. Just hers.

Answer 5

You did not state where you live but in the US - if you are the father it is a matter of going to court. While you are getting her name changed, you can arrange for scheduled visitations that if she does not comply she can be put into jail.

With all the men out there who do not want to be with their children - you need to have your rights also. Seven years is a long time, make sure you get to know her before you take her from her mother that could back fire on you with your relationship with her.

Answer 6

i believe you have to go to court to have this done--i wouild assume probate court.. you should probably get an atty because of animosity between you and the mother/others. you definately will need one if you intend to get custody which will be very difficult unless you can PROVE BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT that the mother is unfit. even though the child is only 7, the judge may ask the girl who she wants to live with. i believe each state has its own formula for changing/amending the name so i am unable to address this specifically. please keep in mind, that the bottom line ,is what is best for your daughter--not anyone else. good luck to you!!!!!!!!!!!
btw , there is a mens organization( i cant think of the name of it) for mens rights in regard to their children. they have their own special attys also. try putting this in search box: men's rights.

Answer 7

even although he's not on the BC, you nonetheless would desire his consent to regulate the call. because the place of work paintings you'll favor is called a “request to regulate call of teenybopper toddler”. And on that place of work paintings, it is going to ask who the moms and dads are and who's consenting to this. And the paper asks if the different be certain’s consent is needed and also you opt to prepare data that the different be certain consented or change into notified circuitously. For us, we've a courtroom order of the mum giving consent to replacing the youngster’s call, so as that works adequate for us. yet for you, you’ll desire a courtroom order issuing you permission to regulate the youngster’s call from THIS to THAT. And being that you’re dealing with courtroom on your toddler with custody and visitation, i imagine you should deliver this up then. We then had to call the dep. of significant data interior the county to which my stepdaughter change into born. I then had to request to amend the BC. i imagine it’s stated as an adjudication? and also you fill that place of work paintings out and resubmit it. also ought to pay a cost to make this ensue. yet merely because you and the youngster’s father aren’t mutually anymore, in my opinion, that’s no longer adequate reason to regulate the youngster’s call back.

Answer 8

This problem is really too complicated, even for a lawyer to advise you on yahoo answers, so go and consult a lawyer about this.

Answer 9

get a lawyer and go to court. you are very mature and you have a good wife.I applaud you for caring about your own child even though you have married.

Answer 10

sounds like u need a lawyer.Also think of the childs feelings first before taking her away from her mother.