NAME CHANGES

A person could want their or their child’s name changed for many reasons. In some kinds of lawsuits like divorce or a paternity action, a legal name change is pretty standard & doesn’t require any sort of additional time or expense. If you're interested in changing your name, it’s pretty easy. You simply file a Petition with the appropriate court, prove your identity, pay a fee & explain why you want to change your name. The judge will then hold a hearing & determine if you are trying to change your name for an illegal purpose like avoiding debt or criminal charges. If the judge approves the name change, they will issue an order & that is all you need. If you want to change your child’s name, you must give notice to the other parent & prove to the court why the change is in the child’s best interest. While the name change process can be straightforward, in some cases an experienced family law attorney can help you navigate the process with minimum amount of time, expense & worry.