Hi everyone! I live in Ohio. Get that out of the way first and foremost. I have an 8 year old daughter who has my maiden last name (not her biological Father's--we were never married). His name is on the birth certificate, there is no support order, and he has never seen his daughter (by mutual decision--no courts involved) expect to establish paternity when she was born--nor has he ever been involved in her life. I am married, and my husband and I have one child together and another on the way. My daughter has recently started to use a hyphen with my husband's last name added to her own (something she apparently figured out on her own to do--for instance--Emily Smith-Kline). She has expressed a desire to want to do this all of the time, and I think it would be good for her to identify with the family. She's the only one with a different name. She would like to keep my maiden name because she identifies strongly with it at this point in her life, but would love to be able to have the same name as Mommy, brother, sister, and who she's come to know and call Daddy.
Here's the question part: In Ohio, I'm very well aware of the often lengthy and expensive adoption procedure. I don't think this is necessary in our case. Her biological Father has never wanted a part in her life and the only reason he's on the birth certificate is so that she knows...which she does and always has. (Her Father and I couldn't see the sense in lying to her--just as we couldn't see the sense in support when he didn't want her to begin with--no sense in bringing in the court if we didn't need to). Soooo...is there a way (and if so, how and how much, etc.) to hyphenate her name (petition to the court perhaps) without going through the whole adoption process?
Anything, links, information, ideas, advice, etc. would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much!

