For various reasons, like getting married or divorced, for convenience or expressing their personality, many people need to change their names officially to make their legal name consistent with the name used in daily life.
Every adult over 18 years old can change his/her own name. Name change may look like a simple court procedure, however, in order to have your name changed in all official records, you have to take follow-up steps and change the name on your drivers license, social security card, voting registration, welfare, passport, bank accounts, credit cards, deeds, mortgages, wills, car registration, insurance, etc.
Parents or legal guardians may file petition for name change for their child under 18. However, if only one parent files petition, there are special requirements to be satisfied.
For the above listed reasons, it would be worthwhile for people who are not familiar with the court procedure or requirements to seek assistance from professional attorneys on your name change case.
The court procedure for name change are listed as follows:
1. Prepare petition packet
2. File the petition with Superior Court
3. Clerk of Superior Court provides hearing date and location; obtain the signature of judicial officer
4. Publish notice of hearing in the local newspaper of general circulation*
5. Court hearing*
6. Superior Court grants the petition and issues decree
Remarks:
1. Publish notice of hearing in the local newspaper of general circulation
Once a week for at least four consecutive weeks before the date of the hearing.
Following petitioners can waive this:
(1). Participants in the State Witness Program or
(2). Participants in the address confidentiality program and the petition alleges that they are
A. Petitioning to avoid domestic violence, or
B. Petitioning to avoid stalking, or
C. The petitioner is, or is filing on behalf of, a victim of sexual assault.
2. Court hearing
If no written objection is filed at least two court days before the hearing, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.