Legally Change My Name

A popular question we get at Dummit Fradin is “How can I legally change my name?” An esteemed Family Law Attorney explains there are three answers to this question.

Marriage

The first, and the most common, answer is to take your marriage license to the DMV. They will change your last name to your spouse’s last name.

Divorce

The second, and more painful way to legally change your name is the opposite of the first. When you go through a divorce you can also take your divorce decree to the DMV and resume using your former last name.

Petition the Court

The third answer to this question is you may petition the court to change your name at any time. However, there are a lot of official documents you must gather, get notarized, and filed if you chose this route.  You also have to file a notice with the court of your intent to change your name.  There could potentially be a hearing on the issue to decide merit.

If you would like to petition the court to change your name, give one of our Family Law Attorneys a call, we will be happy to help you through this process.

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