In a recent Family Court of Australia decision heard in Melbourne, the Family Court considered the issue common issue of when it is appropriate for a child’s surname to be changed.

The mother had filed an application seeking to change the name of her son. At the hearing of the application there was no appearance made by the father.

The child in this case was 17 years of age and had expressed a wish to change his surname from that of his father, to his mother’s last name.  The child had had no contact with his father for some 7 years. The mother had approached the father previously to have him sign documents to change the child’s surname. The father did not sign the consent to change the child’s name.

The court found that in all the circumstances it was in the child’s best interests to change his surname from the father’s surname to that of his mother.