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Changing My Girlfriend's Daughter's Last Name

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  • 10-21-2013, 01:33 PM
    almostfamous643
    Changing My Girlfriend's Daughter's Last Name
    My question involves name change laws in the State of: Texas.

    My question is simply how, or can I, change my girlfriends daughter's last name? She has no father on her birth certificate, and doesn't know her biological father. She calls me dad, and has for her entire life. Without getting married is there a way that we can legally change her name?

    I would like to do this before marriage, but if not possible I would also like to hear about the step-parent adoption option.

    Thanks
  • 10-21-2013, 01:40 PM
    jk
    Re: Changing My Girlfriend's Daughter's Last Name
    You cannot change your girlfriends child's first, last, or middle name. You are a legal stranger to the child and have absolutely zero rights when it comes to the child.
  • 10-21-2013, 01:46 PM
    Dogmatique
    Re: Changing My Girlfriend's Daughter's Last Name
    Quote:

    Quoting almostfamous643
    View Post
    My question involves name change laws in the State of: Texas.

    My question is simply how, or can I, change my girlfriends daughter's last name? She has no father on her birth certificate, and doesn't know her biological father. She calls me dad, and has for her entire life. Without getting married is there a way that we can legally change her name?

    I would like to do this before marriage, but if not possible I would also like to hear about the step-parent adoption option.

    Thanks



    Texas is one of the states where as a very general rule, the putative father MUST be at least notified of these petitions, even if he hasn't lifted a finger.

    Here's what you do:

    Get married. Stay married. Get yourselves to an adoption attorney who tends to specialize more in stepparent adoptions than the "regular" sort.

    This won't happen overnight, and ideally you should be looking at a couple of years from now at least before Mom even thinks about this.

    The court isn't likely to change the child's last name like this; 1) it suggests a "back door adoption" and 2) the court isn't going to allow a non-parent any rights before s/he actually commits to the parent.
  • 10-21-2013, 02:18 PM
    almostfamous643
    Re: Changing My Girlfriend's Daughter's Last Name
    What if the putative father is unknown?
  • 10-21-2013, 02:23 PM
    jk
    Re: Changing My Girlfriend's Daughter's Last Name
    Quote:

    Quoting almostfamous643
    View Post
    What if the putative father is unknown?

    Do you really want to accuse her of being so "friendly" she has no idea who the child's father is?
  • 10-21-2013, 02:57 PM
    Dogmatique
    Re: Changing My Girlfriend's Daughter's Last Name
    Quote:

    Quoting almostfamous643
    View Post
    What if the putative father is unknown?


    Not buying that for a New York second.

    And neither will the court.
  • 10-21-2013, 06:18 PM
    aardvarc
    Re: Changing My Girlfriend's Daughter's Last Name
    Unless she filed a rape report about 9 months before the child was born, the court is going to assume she's got SOME idea of who she slept with (and if there were multiples, she may have to notify ALL of them. if she can't narrow it down).
  • 10-21-2013, 10:08 PM
    almostfamous643
    Re: Changing My Girlfriend's Daughter's Last Name
    Quote:

    Quoting Dogmatique
    View Post
    Not buying that for a New York second.

    And neither will the court.

    Wasn't saying this is the case, I was just wondering in general.

    Thanks for the help.
  • 10-21-2013, 10:31 PM
    Dogmatique
    Re: Changing My Girlfriend's Daughter's Last Name
    Quote:

    Quoting almostfamous643
    View Post
    Wasn't saying this is the case, I was just wondering in general.

    Thanks for the help.



    If the mother honestly, truthfully cannot remember or distinguish who's on the list of possibles she generally needs to do a John Doe publication.

    This is usually something which requires an attorney.
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