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For many years, it was the tradition for a child born to a married couple to take the surname of the father. Did this tradition give the father a protectable paternity right in Arizona? In Laks v. Laks, 540 P.2d 1277 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1975) the Arizona Court of Appeals discussed this issue.
Facts of the Case
Ms. Eliot and Mr. Laks married and had three children. When they divorced, Ms. Eliot changed the surname of the children to “Eliot-Laks.” Mr. Laks asked for an injunction preventing this. The court granted the injunction and ordered that Ms. Eliot had to use the last name of Laks for the children. Ms. Eliot appealed.
Henry’s Standing to Bring Injunction
Does Mr. Laks have the standing to enjoin the use of a different name? The interest of the father in having his child bear his surname has been described as one of “inherent concern.” It has also been called a “time-honored” right. But the interest of the father is not a property interest entitled to constitutional protection. It is merely a custom that children bear the names of their parents.
However, courts have recognized that the father has a protectable interest in having his child take the parental surname. When a mother gets custody of the children, the bond between the father and his children may weaken if their name is changed. Therefore, a rule was developed that courts won’t authorize a name change against the father’s objection. Where the children’s substantial interests require a change of name, the change may be permitted.
Equal Protection
Ms. Eliot argues that she has an absolute right, same with that of the Father, to give the children her surname. She claims that the court ruling constitutes a classification based on sex contrary to the Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution.
No reported cases involve a situation where the mother adds her maiden name to the given surname. Ms. Eliot claims that the custom of using the father’s name was a result of the subservience of women in society.
Elimination of the inequality between the sexes gives women an interest equal to that of men. Therefore, she argues, the name “Eliot-Laks” is an appropriate recognition of the sake of both parents in a child’s name.
The Court of Appeals court found merit in this contention. However, it noted that this case involves not the initial naming but a change of name. The persons who have the paramount interest are the children, and their best interests are controlling. They were not called as witnesses in the case.
Burden of Proof
Mr. Laks made a prima facie case for injunctive relief. He did so by showing that the name “Eliot-Laks” was not the name on the children’s birth certificates. That left the burden on Ms. Eliot to show that the name change was in the best interests of the children. Ms. Eliot did not file the reporter’s transcript of testimony in this appeal. Therefore, the Court of Appeals presumed the evidence showed that the name change was not in the best interest of the children.
Disposition
The Court of Appeals affirmed the ruling below.
If you have questions about if a mother can change the last name of a child born during marriage in an Arizona divorce case, you should seriously consider contacting the attorneys at Hildebrand Law, PC. Our Arizona paternity and family law attorneys have over 100 years of combined experience successfully representing clients in paternity and family law cases.
Our family law firm has earned numerous awards such as US News and World Reports Best Arizona Family Law Firm, US News and World Report Best Divorce Attorneys, “Best of the Valley” by Arizona Foothills readers, and “Best Arizona Divorce Law Firms” by North Scottsdale Magazine.
Call us today at (480)305-8300 or reach out to us through our appointment scheduling form to schedule your personalized consultation and turn your Arizona paternity or family law case around today.
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About the Author: Chris Hildebrand has over 26 years of Arizona family law experience and received awards from US News and World Report, Phoenix Magazine, Arizona Foothills Magazine and others. Visit https://www.hildebrandlaw.com.