Legal Question in Family Law in Georgia
step-parent adoption/child name change
Do I HAVE to go through an attorney to legally change my daughter's last name to my married name? I've checked with many attornys, and legal adoption is no where near affordable for us, but if she could just have the same last name as her brother she would be happy!
2 Answers from Attorneys
Re: step-parent adoption/child name change
Oddly enough, it may be easier under Georgia law to do a step-parent adoption than a name change. The name change requires the consent of the child's father unless he has failed to support the child or communicate with her for over FIVE years. A step-parent adoption can be granted if the father has failed to support the child or communicate with her for over ONE year.
As with any legal matter, it is possible to do either proceeding by yourself (pro se), but where the issues are as important as these are, it is highly advisable to pay an attorney to do it.
Re: step-parent adoption/child name change
A name change is very inexpensive and we can assist you with that if you're in metro Atlanta. While some people do it without lawyers, a small mistake could keep it from happening. Call me if we can assist you.
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