Legal Question in Family Law in Texas

Name Change, Can't Find Father
I was divorced 1995 in FL. I have ''sole custody'' of my now 15 y/o daughter. She has had no contact with her father since she was 4 y/o. Except a brief encounter at her grandfather's funeral. Her father is in and out of prison/drug rehabs. Never holds a job for more than a couple months. I remarried a year ago. My daughter wants to change her name to ours. Her step father has consented. It is the only father she knows. They are saying we must contact her biological father. who has never given any monetary or emotional support. Thus the reason I have sole custody. He was in prison at time of the divorce. We have no idea how to contact him or where he even is. He lives on the streets when he is on drugs. The last address we have was at a half way house, we tried to serve him papers and they stated he had left a few weeks earlier. TX law is saying he must be served in person...how can we do this if we truly don't have any idea where he is. Is there another way? Or does my daughter have to suffer once again at the hands of this man because we can't find him. Please advise. Thank youl

Asked on 10/24/06, 3:44 pm

2 Answers from Attorneys

James Grissom Law Office of James P. Grissom

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Re: Name Change, Can't Find Father

Does he have family? Do they know how to contact him? He can served by leaving the petition with a person over the age of 16 at an address likely to know where he is. You should probably get an attorney to help you with this, because this is highly procedural.

Answered on 10/24/06, 3:55 pm

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