[December]

my niece and her partner are expecting very soon, she is under the impression that if the two are not married at the time of the baby's birth, the fathers name cannot appear on the birth certificate. While this seems odd to say the least to me, I don't live in Michigan and don't know anyone else who does. It seems to me anyhow that if this is true it would open all sorts of future problems should the parents seperate, child support? While your answer won't matter one way or the other, just wondering. Thanks December (in Florida)

[Anonymous]

In Michigan, if your niece and her partner execute an affidavit of parentage at the hospital, the partner's name will appear on the birth certificate. If they go to the County Clerk's office after the birth, they can execute an affidavit of parentage there, and the birth certificate will be amended to reflect the name of the father. But it is easier to simply execute the document at the hospital - where they typically have both the necessary forms and available notaries.