Legal Name Changes
Legal name changes have become quite common over the years and the process is oftentimes very easy. According to an Arlington TX divorce lawyer, there can be a wide range of reasons for wanting to change your legal name such as divorce, marriage, going by a different name other than your legal first name, or even minor changes that need to be made due to mistakes on your birth certificate. The steps you need to take will differ depending on your circumstances and your reasons for the name change. To help you navigate this process, here are some common questions and their answers to help you understand how the name change process works.
What Is The Process For Legally Changing My Name?
In order to legally change your name, you will need to file a petition for a name change. When you file the petition you will also need to submit a fingerprint card, you can obtain this from the Department of Public Safety. After that you will pay the application fee and later on you will have a court hearing. Depending on the county and the court, your hearing may be in-person or virtual.
What Are The Requirements For A Legal Name Change?
The first requirement for a legal name change is that the person filing the petition is at least 18 years of age. The aforementioned steps are required when petitioning for a legal name change and in order for the court to grant your name change it must be “in the interest or to the benefit of the petitioner and in the interest of the public”. The reason for the name change cannot be for a fraudulent reason, to evade the law, to be changed to a name that could affect the rights of another person or a name that contains vulgarity. When filing a petition for a name change you
are required to pay a filing fee which varies by county. If you are unable to pay the filing fee there is a fee waiver form you can fill out.
How Do I Change My Name On My Driver’s License?
After your legal name change, changing your name on your license will be your next step. In order to do that you will need to go to a driver license office near you within 30 days of the name change. If your name change is marriage related then you can bring your marriage license, divorce decree, annulment, or marriage verification letter as proof that the name change is official. In the case that your name change is not marriage related you can bring with you the certified court order from your name change, amended birth certificate, or your Certificate of Naturalization form for proof. Whichever of these documents you bring to change your license, they must be original documents since photocopies will not be accepted.
What If I’ve Been Convicted Of A Crime?
You can still legally change your name if you’ve been convicted of a crime, there are just a different set of requirements for that situation. At the discretion of the judge, they may allow a name change if the petitioner has been pardoned, received a certificate of discharge from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, or if they have completed the period of probation ordered by the court.
Can I Change My Child’s Legal Name?
If you need to edit the birth certificate or your child due to a hospital error or minor spelling mistake, you will need to contact the Texas Bureau of Vital Statistics to amend it. If that is not the case and you are wanting to change the child’s first or last name then you will need a court order. In most cases, the child name change is a separate lawsuit unless it’s a part of an adoption or paternity case. Once you change the name of the child, it does not change parental rights or
legal custody of the child, it only changes their name. It is required that the legal parents or guardian of the child, whose rights have not been terminated, has been legally notified of the name change. The court must also agree that the name change is in the best interest of the child and if the child is 10 years of age or older, they would be required to consent in writing to the name change.
As we can see, the name change process will vary for each person but overall it is a process that you can be guided through. If you have more questions or require guidance then you can contact an attorney at Brandy Austin Law Firm and they will be able to help you each step of the way.
