I Have Two Last Names, Which Name Do I Use in My California Adult Adoption Case?

For both the Adopting Parent(s) and the Adult Adoptee, when preparing the California Adult Adoption Petition, California Adult Adoption Agreement and the California Order of Adult Adoption (all the court paperwork) for your Adult Adoption case in California Superior Court always use your name as it shows on your birth certificate.  California Adult Adoptions establish a permanent and legal family relationship that traces back to the Adopting Parent(s) birth record and the Adult Adoptee's birth record.

Although there are some variations to the rule of using your name as it reads on your birth certificate, all the variations follow the same general rule for Adult Adoptions: always use your name as it shows on your birth certificate. 

Two Last Names, but You Only Use One of Them: Many cultures use two last names on the person's birth certificate but the person only uses one of the last names in daily life.   For example, in Spanish speaking countries it is common for the person have the Father's last name followed by the Mother's last name listed on the birth certificate.  However, the person only uses the Father's last name in daily life and on their legal identification.  The default rule for California Adult Adoptions is always use your name as it shows on your birth certificate. 

Here is a common example for a person with two last names: Juan Perez was born in Mexico and the name on his birth certificate is Juan Gomez Perez with his last name being two names: Gomez Perez.  His Father's last name is Gomez and his mother's last name is Perez.  However, Juan only uses Gomez as his last name on his California driver's license. Juan wants to file his California Adult Adoption paperwork using only Gomez as his last name, but that is incorrect because the adult adoption case will establish a family relationship that traces back to the birth of Juan in Mexico. Juan's name at birth was Juan Gomez Perez and that is the name on his birth certificate. The correct way to write this legal paperwork for the California Adult Adoption Petition, California Adult Adoption Agreement and the California Order of Adult Adoption would be: Juan Gomez Perez also known as Juan Gomez.