My daughters father has been absent for 6 yrs and we have also had a CPO for the past 5 that is getting ready to expire. He is currently incarsarated for 2 yrs in prison and I want to change her last name to mine. How and what do I need to do without paying hundreds of dollars to an attorney?

Name changes for minors are not very complicated. Check with your local court to see if they have forms to fill out. The big expense will be giving notice to the actual father. You may have to publish notice, if the court approves.

However, if the bio father fights the change, it could get expensive.

I went to the courts a few months back and I got 1 single paper they told me I would need and it was for the biological father to give concent. I know he will willingly not do this, he is also in prison for another year, and I can't contact him due to a 5 yr CPO so that's when I just gave up because I wasn't sure what other steps I could take?