My question involves paternity law for the State of: Maryland.
My girlfriend gave birth to her son in 2006 in Maryland out of wedlock. She now lives in Los Angeles with her son. She wishes not to acknowledge the biological father and would like to use her maiden name for her son's last name.
However, at the time of birth, my girlfriend's friend (who is female) helped her fill out the hospital records forms and erroneously listed her [the friend] as the father...and now the child's last name is of her friend.
My girlfriend only has the paper from the hospital, and has never ordered a birth certificate.
1. Does my girlfriend have to amend the birth record or birth certificate? Is there a difference?
2. How does she amend the last name? What would she have to provide to whom/where? (Child was born in MD, but mother and child lives in CA)
3. How does she follow up to create a birth certificate subsequent to the name change without anything screwing up?
Thanks in advance,

