Legal Question in Family Law in North Carolina

Hello. My Birth certificate only has my last name on it due to my father refusing to give the first and middle names at my birth. I am now 18 and wish to get my name updated so I can go to college and move on with my life. My parents are still against my doing so, and also because of our lifestyle, I have never gone to Public school, been to a hospital since my birth or have any other official records. What do i do?


Asked on 10/30/16, 2:34 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Your mother could have listed any full name she wanted to on the birth certificate - your father's refusal would be meaningless unless your mother consented to it. And if the purpose of keeping your full name off the birth certificate was to 'keep you off the grid', they screwed up by having you in a place (presumably a hospital) where a birth certificate was required to be issued even if with limited information. They should have had you at home with no one but them knowing of your birth. A person in that state on 'non-existence' has some unique options available to them But not you, partial birth certificate boy. As it stands, while public records of your existence may be limited, there are public records none the less. Now that you are 18 and because your parents screwed up any benefits of truly keeping you off the grid, you may as well go ahead and consider going legit by fixing your birth certificate, getting a social security number and other such identification. At 18, while your parents may object they are legally powerless to stop you. So your choices are - continue to be quasi incognito or go legit. Of course if you choose to go against your parents wishes, you may have to find a new place to live and means of supporting your self. Best of luck!

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Answered on 10/30/16, 3:23 pm


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