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Birth Certificate name change

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bculberson

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? FL

Here goes... About 8 months prior to my birth in 1963, my biological father passed away. I have the hospital records (and I think birth certificate) showing the bio-parents and my legal name at the time. When I was 4, my mom re-marries and step-dad adopts me. I take on his last name and he even has my birth certificate changed to show him as the birth father. Years later, I had my last name restored to my birth name, but I didn't know about my birth cert. until recently. I want to have his name removed from my cert., so that it now shows the way it was at birth. (i.e., I want my real birth-father listed as such and my name to reflect my birth name). I've contacted 2 different family lawyers in Palm Beach county as well as the folks in the family court there and I have them all scratching their heads. So if the step-dad managed to change my birth cert to have his name with no mention of the birth father - how can I change it back? I know it's something like a 'set-aside of adoption', but since it has a name, SOMEBODY has got to know how to do one. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated!
 


Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? FL

Here goes... About 8 months prior to my birth in 1963, my biological father passed away. I have the hospital records (and I think birth certificate) showing the bio-parents and my legal name at the time. When I was 4, my mom re-marries and step-dad adopts me. I take on his last name and he even has my birth certificate changed to show him as the birth father. Years later, I had my last name restored to my birth name, but I didn't know about my birth cert. until recently. I want to have his name removed from my cert., so that it now shows the way it was at birth. (i.e., I want my real birth-father listed as such and my name to reflect my birth name). I've contacted 2 different family lawyers in Palm Beach county as well as the folks in the family court there and I have them all scratching their heads. So if the step-dad managed to change my birth cert to have his name with no mention of the birth father - how can I change it back? I know it's something like a 'set-aside of adoption', but since it has a name, SOMEBODY has got to know how to do one. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated!
I don't think what you are trying to do is possible. You could get a name change...

ETA: I don't know the circumstances of your request, but I would like to point out that names on pieces of paper from your past don't define you, you define you.
 
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Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? FL

Here goes... About 8 months prior to my birth in 1963, my biological father passed away. I have the hospital records (and I think birth certificate) showing the bio-parents and my legal name at the time. When I was 4, my mom re-marries and step-dad adopts me. I take on his last name and he even has my birth certificate changed to show him as the birth father. Years later, I had my last name restored to my birth name, but I didn't know about my birth cert. until recently. I want to have his name removed from my cert., so that it now shows the way it was at birth. (i.e., I want my real birth-father listed as such and my name to reflect my birth name). I've contacted 2 different family lawyers in Palm Beach county as well as the folks in the family court there and I have them all scratching their heads. So if the step-dad managed to change my birth cert to have his name with no mention of the birth father - how can I change it back? I know it's something like a 'set-aside of adoption', but since it has a name, SOMEBODY has got to know how to do one. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated!
I would also like to point out that it's not a matter of your father (not step-dad, legal father) "managing" to change the birth certificate - the change is routine in the case of adoptions.
 

bculberson

Junior Member
I don't think what you are trying to do is possible. You could get a name change...

ETA: I don't know the circumstances of your request, but I would like to point out that names on pieces of paper from your past don't define you, you define you.
Thanks for the reply Zigner... I appreciate and understand what you're saying. It's just that my real dad was a great man and the step-dad turned out to be a sick monster. I would love nothing more than to eliminate any and all traces of his existence from my life and honor my real fathers memory. I do realize it's just a piece of paper but it still bugs me. I had my legal name changed years ago, but didn't know of the birth cert change until recently. I've been trying ever since to get it fixed. I've hit nothing but dead-ends so far.
 

stealth2

Under the Radar Member
Thanks for the reply Zigner... I appreciate and understand what you're saying. It's just that my real dad was a great man and the step-dad turned out to be a sick monster. I would love nothing more than to eliminate any and all traces of his existence from my life and honor my real fathers memory. I do realize it's just a piece of paper but it still bugs me. I had my legal name changed years ago, but didn't know of the birth cert change until recently. I've been trying ever since to get it fixed. I've hit nothing but dead-ends so far.
Thing is - you don't actually know this. You never knew the man (and really, have no actual idea - unless there are posthumous DNA tests or the like - that he really was your biological father.... It was the 60s, man...) and have no idea what sort of father he might have been to you. He might have been as bad, or worse. You're 51 - change your name if you must and let the rest, rest.
 

bculberson

Junior Member
Thing is - you don't actually know this. You never knew the man (and really, have no actual idea - unless there are posthumous DNA tests or the like - that he really was your biological father.... It was the 60s, man...) and have no idea what sort of father he might have been to you. He might have been as bad, or worse. You're 51 - change your name if you must and let the rest, rest.
Actually... he was a great man, would've been a wonderful father to me (as he was already one to my sister) and died a hero rescuing a family from drowning. Your comments about him were uncalled for and unnecessary as it had absolutely nothing to do with the question at hand. Thanks for replying anyway.
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
Actually... he was a great man, would've been a wonderful father to me (as he was already one to my sister) and died a hero rescuing a family from drowning. Your comments about him were uncalled for and unnecessary as it had absolutely nothing to do with the question at hand. Thanks for replying anyway.
I tend to agree with Stealth. As I said before, YOU define you. Your quest to change your past is something that you may wish to receive therapy for.
 

bculberson

Junior Member
I tend to agree with Stealth. As I said before, YOU define you. Your quest to change your past is something that you may wish to receive therapy for.
I understand that I define myself. I understood it each time you repeated it. I'm not trying to change my past, but if you'd bother to read my questions - you'd get it. I would just like to know if and how I can remove a monster from my birth certificate. That is all. It doesn't define me, but it's rather a matter of principle. But somehow a simple question got turned into "how do you know your real dad is really your dad" and "you should seek therapy". I appreciate that you 2 have reinforced that free advice is exactly worth what was paid for it. I feel bad for me that I counted on the opinion of a couple of losers. I guess I'll start over once again. Peace out.
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
I understand that I define myself. I understood it each time you repeated it. I'm not trying to change my past, but if you'd bother to read my questions - you'd get it. I would just like to know if and how I can remove a monster from my birth certificate. That is all. It doesn't define me, but it's rather a matter of principle. But somehow a simple question got turned into "how do you know your real dad is really your dad" and "you should seek therapy". I appreciate that you 2 have reinforced that free advice is exactly worth what was paid for it. I feel bad for me that I counted on the opinion of a couple of losers. I guess I'll start over once again. Peace out.
Alrighty then :rolleyes:
 

stealth2

Under the Radar Member
I understand that I define myself. I understood it each time you repeated it. I'm not trying to change my past, but if you'd bother to read my questions - you'd get it. I would just like to know if and how I can remove a monster from my birth certificate. That is all. It doesn't define me, but it's rather a matter of principle. But somehow a simple question got turned into "how do you know your real dad is really your dad" and "you should seek therapy". I appreciate that you 2 have reinforced that free advice is exactly worth what was paid for it. I feel bad for me that I counted on the opinion of a couple of losers. I guess I'll start over once again. Peace out.
So - how are you going to PROVE the dude is your Dad? 'Cause your say-so isn't going to get his name on the BC.
 

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