What route should go and/or would a legal name change for a minor help or hurt the adoption process?

A stepparent adoption not only gets you a "free name change" with the amended birth certificate, but it will make your husband the legal father,...

My granddaughter?

From your statement it appears you are a grandparent and your granddaughter is in the custody of the county due to a CPS action. The good news is...

Although you are in AZ and I'm an attorney in CA, and state procedures will vary a bit, I'd like to try to help answer your question as I see this...