I would like to change my daughters last name. have a quick question..?

Question

long story short..i dated me ex for a long time before i got pregnant...he was there during everything so i put his last name on her certificate. but things didn't go well after that 4 months later i left him. he hasn't seen her in almost 4 years and i haven't heard from him.

now that I'm married i would like her to have our last name but i heard you need the fathers consent for that? what if i dont know where he is would the court look for him? That's basically my question! Also I live in new jersey...

serious question so please no idiotic comments..

thank you!

Answer 1

There are provisions for not being able to find the father. Notices will be put in newspapers.  You didn't say your present husband would be adopting, just that you want to change her last name.  It all takes a court action and an attempt to find the birth father.

Answer 2

I trace people for probate courts in Michigan. They can find him in under 5 minutes. Find a family law attorney and have your husband adopt her. Skip tracing dead beat dads is a science in family courts around the country. They'll use his drivers license record and Social Security number to find his new address and employer. It's easy as pie with a court subpoena.