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Shannon222

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? Michigan

I was adopted by my step-father when I was 4. I found out who my biological father was when I was 16 and we have had a very good relationship since then. My mother is very fague about the facts surrounding my adoption and I would like to get the court documents unseal to get to the bottom of the he said - she said argument that has been going on between them for years. My other desire is to have my biological fathers name added to my birth certificate and change my last name to reflect his. What would be the best way to achive this.

Thank you
 


LdiJ

LdiJ

Senior Member
Shannon222 said:
What is the name of your state? Michigan

I was adopted by my step-father when I was 4. I found out who my biological father was when I was 16 and we have had a very good relationship since then. My mother is very fague about the facts surrounding my adoption and I would like to get the court documents unseal to get to the bottom of the he said - she said argument that has been going on between them for years. My other desire is to have my biological fathers name added to my birth certificate and change my last name to reflect his. What would be the best way to achive this.

Thank you
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The name change is easy if you are a legal adult. You can change you name to whatever you would like, its your choice and option.

Getting his name added to the birth certificate is trickier. He could re-adopt you, but that would remove your mother's name from your birth certificate.

If your mother is being deliberate vague....then something may not be entirely in order with your adoption. Have you ordered a recent copy of your birth certificate?
 
S

Shannon222

Junior Member
I have not ordered a recent copy... but I have seen it enough times... it has my mothers name and the name of my adopted dad... there addresses on the certificate were listed as being in lansing.... but I was 4.. we lived in a entirely different county then... my biological father says a lawyer called him one day and wanted him to surrender his rights... my father said NO and asked where I was and that he wanted to see me... the lawyer said that was not going to happen and the adoption was going to go through weather he wanted it to or not. and then it went though. I know my adopted dad only adopted me because my mother insisted he do so. I have not spoken to him in many years... I just want to make things legally the way they should be. I was wondering if their was a way I could annul the adoption even though I am an adult... or if I could have the birth certificate amended to reflect bfathers name. and also of course what grounds I could use to have my sealed court transcripts, lawyers notes, ect. opened.
 
Last edited:
LdiJ

LdiJ

Senior Member
Shannon222 said:
I have not ordered a recent copy... but I have seen it enough times... it has my mothers name and the name of my adopted dad... there addresses on the certificate were listed as being in lansing.... but I was 4.. we lived in a entirely different county then... my biological father says a lawyer called him one day and wanted him to surrender his rights... my father said NO and asked where I was and that he wanted to see me... the lawyer said that was not going to happen and the adoption was going to go through weather he wanted it to or not. and then it went though. I know my adopted dad only adopted me because my mother insisted he do so. I have not spoken to him in many years... I just want to make things legally the way they should be. I was wondering if their was a way I could annul the adoption even though I am an adult... or if I could have the birth certificate amended to reflect bfathers name. and also of course what grounds I could use to have my sealed court transcripts, lawyers notes, ect. opened.
Click to expand...
I am honestly not sure that there is a way that you can get your original birth certificate to reflect both your mother and biological father. However if one exists...then you are probably going to need an attorney to make it happen. However, in the meantime you might want to start researching case law to see if there are any precedents out there for what you want to attempt. Case law is rulings made by higher courts that are published, and set precedents in law. A law library would probably be the best place for you to start searching. There are many good online resources for case law....but if you are not familiar with it a law library, with a librarian there to assist you is a better place to start.
 
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