Legal Question in Family Law in California

Changing my sons birth certificate

In 2003, I was 16, and ran away from home from my abusive alcoholic father. (Police records can prove). I was pregnant, also. I left with my boyfriend to California, where his family are illigal aliens, and they bought me a false birth certificate from Peru, where I used that name and document throughout pregnancy, and signed that false name on the birth certificate. (I was scared of being caught, and so were the aliens, they didnt want to be sent back to Peru)

It's 5 years later now, and the father and I are no longer together. I've been to an attorney, but the secretary wont ever put me through to him. The document is to change the mothers name on the childs birth certificate, and the birth father has signed papers agreeing that this is true, and I signed them, and now we have a court date. It's in 4 weeks.

In this hearing ,is it possible that I could get jailtime,probation,a fine, or my child taken away from me because of this?

Or in this hearing, will the judge just say yes or no to the name change on the birth certificate? My attorney just submitted a petition to change the birth certificate. How many times will I have to go to court? I'm pregnant again, and expecting very soon...


Asked on 7/31/08, 10:26 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Lyle Johnson Bedi and Johnson Attorneys at Law

Re: Changing my sons birth certificate

In a court appearance for a name change, unless a warrant for your arrest has been obtained, you would not be arrested. Under the circumstances described in you question it would seen unlikely that you would be arrested. Unless there is opposition to your request to change the name of the mother on the birth certificate should not require more than one court appearance.

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Answered on 8/07/08, 5:56 pm


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