Can an unwed mother have the sole right to change her baby's last name to
just hers if the child has both parents' last names hyphenated, but
the mother is the only name on the birth certificate? The father
doesn't not support the child.

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Clarification of Question by lb4-ga on 17 May 2006 06:48 PDT

I live in the state of SC with my parents.

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Request for Question Clarification by czh-ga on 17 May 2006 12:51 PDT

Hello lb4-ga,

I see that you have posted another, related question as well.

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=729748
Unwed Mother's Right for travel

Are you the father of the child you're asking about? Do you want to
establish your paternity for this child?

I suggest that you review the information about paternity on the
website of the South Carolina Department of Social Services, Child
Support Enforcement. This page gives lots of general information and
may provide you all the information you need.

http://www.state.sc.us/dss/csed/index.html

If you're not the father of the child or have not established
paternity, you have no standing to influence the actions of the
mother.

http://www.state.sc.us/dss/csed/patest.htm
What is paternity?

Paternity means fatherhood. Establishing paternity means that either a
court or administrative order is issued stating who the legal father
is, or the mother and father voluntarily sign a paternity
acknowledgment affidavit naming the father of the child. Paternity
should be established if the parents of the child were not married to
each other at the time the mother became pregnant or at the time of
the birth of the child.

You should contact the State Office of Vital Records to find out about
the requirements for changing the child's birth certificate. If you
are the father and you have established paternity, you will have
standing to make the change.

http://www.scdhec.net/vr/birth.htm

It seems you might be caught in a complex situation and there is no
quick and easy answer to your questions. Please let me know if the
information I've provided meets your requirements for the question
you've posted here. Thanks.

~ czh ~

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Clarification of Question by lb4-ga on 17 May 2006 13:41 PDT

I am the mother and is researching as much information needed so that
I will know what rights each parents have in making decision for the
baby. I do not want to violate what rights the father has even if he
is not taking care of his child.