INSTRUCTION SHEET FOR CHANGING AN ADULT’S NAME
The forms presented in this packet are designed to guide you in the preparation of
your change of name. You must type in the required information as it applies to
your situation. Your papers should remain in the same order as they appear in this
packet.
You should type in every blank line EXCEPT for the civil action file number
blanks and the lines provided for signatures. Make sure that everything is signed.
Neither the Clerk of the Superior Court, nor any Deputy Clerk, nor the Judges,
or any other Court personnel, is allowed to answer any questions for you concerning the
preparation of these forms. State Law O.C.G.A. §15-19-51 forbids court personnel to
give legal advice. Different situations may require special procedures and courthouse personnel
cannot advise you on how to proceed or what forms may be necessary in specific situations.
The only person allowed to help you in the preparation of these forms is a licensed attorney
hired to represent you. Please consult an attorney if you have questions about the procedure
or what action is best for you to take.
Remember, you must fully complete the forms and follow all instructions before
the Judge will be able to grant your change of name. Incomplete forms, as well as forms
that are improperly filled out, may delay the grant of your change of name. Make sure
that you take time to read over all the forms, and understand what is being asked of you
in each situation.
Georgia Law which governs changes of name:
O.C.G.A.§ 19-12-1. Manner; petition; publication of notice of filing; hearing and
judgment
(a) Any person desirous of changing his name or the name or names of his minor child or
children may present a petition to the superior court of the county of his residence,
setting forth fully and particularly the reasons why the change is asked, which petition
shall be verified by the petitioner.
(b) Within seven days of the filing of the petition, the petitioner shall cause a notice of
the filing, signed by him, to be published in the official legal organ of the county once a
week for four weeks. The notice shall contain therein the name of the petitioner, the
name of the person whose name is to be changed if different from that of the petitioner,
the new name desired, the court in which the petition is pending, the date on which the
petition was filed, and the right of any interested or affected party to appear and file
objections.
(c) If the petition seeks to change the name of a minor child, the written consent of his
parent or parents if they are living and have not abandoned the child, or the written
consent of the child's guardian if both parents are dead or have abandoned the child,
shall be filed with the petition, except that the written consent of a parent shall not be
required if the parent has not contributed to the support of the child for a continuous
period of five years or more immediately preceding the filing of the petition.
(d) In all cases, before a minor child's name may be changed, the parent or parents of
the child shall be served with a copy of the petition. If the parent or parents reside within
this state, service of the petition shall be made in person, except that if the location or
address of the parent is unknown, service of the petition on the parent shall be made by
publication as provided in this Code section. If the parent or parents reside outside this
state, service of the petition on the parent or parents residing outside this state shall be
made by certified mail or statutory overnight delivery if the address is known or by
publication as provided in this Code section if the address is not known.
(e) Where a child resides with persons other than his parent or parents, a copy of the
petition shall be served upon the person acting as guardian of the child in the same
manner as service would be made on a parent.
(f) Upon the expiration of:
(1) Thirty days from the filing of the petition if the person whose name to be changed is
an adult;
(2) Thirty days from the date of service upon the parent, parents, or guardian of a minor
whose name is to be changed if the parent, parents, or guardian reside within this state;
or
(3) Sixty days from the date of service upon the parent, parents, or guardian of a minor
whose name is to be changed if either the parent, parents, or guardian reside outside the
state and the petition is served by mail,
and after proof to the court of publication of the notice as required in this Code section is
made, if no objection is filed, the court shall proceed at chambers at such date as the
court shall fix to hear and determine all matters raised by the petition and to render final
judgment or decree thereon. For such service, the clerk shall receive the fees prescribed
O.C.G.A. § 15-6-77, relating to fees of clerks of the superior courts for civil cases.
Please follow these steps:
1. Fill out the petition for name change being sure to
include the reasons why you want to change your name.
2. File the petition for name change with the clerk of the
_____________________ County Superior Court.
3. Within seven (7) days of filing the petition, you must publish the enclosed
Notice of Petition to Change Name with the official legal organ (newspaper)
of _____________________ County. This notice must run once a week for
four weeks.
4. Submit to the Court proof that you have published the notice as required.
Proof consists of an affidavit of publication from the newspaper AND
photocopies of the notices as they appeared in the paper.
5. Thirty days or more after your petition was filed, and after you submitted
proof to the Court of publication of the proper notice, the Court will set a date
to hear the matter in chambers and to render a final judgment or decree.
IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF _________________ COUNTY
STATE OF GEORGIA
§
§
§
In Re: __________________________
§
Civil Action File No. _______________
§
§
§
PETITION TO CHANGE NAME
Petitioner, _____________________, files this Petition to Change Name and Shows the following:
1.
Petitioner, ____________________, resides at _________________________________
________________________________________________ in ____________ County, Georgia.
2.
Petitioner is of the age of majority, having been born in _________________ County, State of ___________
in the year of __________.
3.
Petitioner desires to change his/her name from ____________________________ to ___________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________.
4.
The reasons such a change in name is requested are as follows:
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
5.
a) Petitioner has never been convicted of a criminal offense involving fraud, forgery, or violence and
is not now the defendant of a criminal proceeding involving the same.
b) Petitioner has been convicted of a criminal offense involving fraud, forgery, or violence or
is now the defendant of a criminal proceeding involving the same. (Explain circumstances below.)
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
6.
This Petition is not submitted with the intention of defrauding another of any
rights.
WHEREFORE, Petitioner respectfully prays that his/her name be changed
from ________________________________ to ____________________________________.
Respectfully submitted, this _____ day of ___________________________ , 20____.
_________________________________
Petitioner pro se
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
Petitioner’s Address
_________________________________
Petitioner’s telephone number
IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF ________________________ COUNTY
STATE OF GEORGIA
§
§
§ Civil Action File No. _______________
In Re:_________________________ §
§
§
§
VERIFICATION
Personally appeared before me the undersigned who on oath states that the facts set
forth in this Complaint are true and correct to the best of his/her knowledge and belief.
_________________________________
Plaintiff pro se
Sworn and subscribed before me
This ______ day of __________________________________, 20_____.
_________________________________________________
Notary Public, State of Georgia
My Commission Expires ______________________________.
IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF _________________ COUNTY
STATE OF GEORGIA
§
§
§
§ Civil Action File No. _______________
In Re: __________________________ §
§
§
§
NOTICE OF PETITION TO CHANGE NAME
GEORGIA, _____________________ County
Notice is hereby given that _______________________, the undersigned, filed
petition to the Superior Court of _____________________ County, Georgia on the
______ day of __________________________________, 20____, praying for a change in
the name of petitioner from __________________________________________________
to ___________________________________________________. Notice is hereby given
pursuant to law to any interested or affected party to appear in said Court and to file
objections to such name change. Objections must be filed with said Court within 30 days
of the filing of said petition.
This _____ day of __________________________________________, 20_____.
______________________________________
Petitioner
IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF _____________________ COUNTY
STATE OF GEORGIA
§
§
§ Civil Action File No. _______________
In Re: __________________________ §
§
§
§
FINAL ORDER
The above and foregoing Petition to Change Name coming on to be heard
pursuant to law, and it appearing that notice has been published pursuant to law and that
no objections have been timely filed, and it further appearing that sufficient grounds exist
for the granting of the relief prayed for in said Petition and that no reason appears
showing why said prayers should not be granted,
(a) That the name of _________________________________, Petitioner, be changed to
________________________________________, Year of Birth: _________________,
and
(b) That such name change shall not operate to authorize petitioner to fraudulently
deprive others of any legal rights under the law.
SO ORDERED, this _____ day of __________________________________, 20_____.
_________________________________________
JUDGE, Superior Courts
Southern Judicial Circuit
Presented by:
_______________________________________________
Petitioner pro se
