Legal Question in Family Law in Wyoming
Fight to change or hypenate daughter's surname
My daughters birth cert list the father as unknown. Paternity results confirmed I am her father. I have been as active as a participant as her mother will let me (we live in diff states), and I pay voluntary support. The final paternity decree is pending. Im going to appeal the decision to have my daughters last name changed (they denied me). Do I stand a better chance to ask for it to be hypenated, or fully changed to mine? I would be ok with the hypenation. I am not trying to exclude her mother, just be the best--name removed--I can be.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Fight to change or hypenate daughter's surname
Neither is a better chance, so ask for either.
The WY Supreme Court will base its decision on whether the trial court judge abused his/her discretion. If it finds, for example, that your child was known as Amy Smith for 10 years before your paternity was acknowledged, then the SCt will likely find the trial court acted correctly. It would not be in the child's best interest at this late date to change her name to "Jones".
No matter what the court decides now, as long as you build and maintain a good relationship with your daughter, she will want to include you in her next major name change - when she marries.
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