How to Obtain a Record of My Name Change
People change their names for a variety of reasons, such as marriage, religious reasons or even just to change their outlook on life with a fresh start and a new name. After wrangling the paperwork to finalize your legal name change, some individuals are unaware of the procedures that are required to obtain the actual record of their name change. These few tips will show you how to locate the actual court order record after a judge approves the name change.
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Instructions
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Locate the city or jurisdiction in which the case was filed. Although this task can sometimes be completed with a simple online search, not all jurisdictions have an online court-documents search feature. Changing a name is a civil procedure, therefore it is best to start with the civil division, which will be located in the superior court clerk's office.
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Provide your full new name and the original filing name to the clerk of the court. If available, show the clerk the case number and the disposition date of the case. If you do not have the case number, request that the case be searched using your original filing name or the name of the attorney who may have filed the case.
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Request a certified copy of the court order with a seal. This will enable you to prove that the document is legitimate. You will need a sealed, certified copy of your name-change order when applying for official documents, such as passports and university records.
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Pay for the records, if required. Keep a receipt of the purchase in case you need to request the documents at a later date. The receipt sometimes includes the case number and the request type. File the receipt with your other official documents for safekeeping.
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Tips & Warnings
Request more than one copy of the record and store copies separately as back-ups.
Always take along your identification when requesting official name-change documents. Some court systems will not provide this information unless they can record who requested the document. This procedure helps protect individuals who change their names after domestic violence situations.
