How to Change Your Name After a Divorce in Illinois
In Illinois there are two ways to change your name after a divorce. Either way, you'll proceed via the local Circuit Court. Many women return to their maiden names because it lets them feel like the marriage has really ended and helps them move on with their lives after the divorce.
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Instructions
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Divorce. Change your name during the divorce proceedings. In the state of Illinois this involves adding your name change into the divorce decree. Once the divorce goes through, obtain a certified copy of your divorce judgment from the Circuit Court clerk. Take the judgment to the Department of Motor Vehicles to get your name changed on an ID, and to your local Social Security office to change your name on your Social Security card.
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Getting divorced. Alternatively, change your name after the divorce is final. Request a Petition for Change of Name form at your local Circuit Court, or download the form online (see the Resources section for a link). You must run a newspaper ad for three weeks stating that you intend to change your name. File a copy of this notice with the Clerk of the Court.
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File the court paperwork. Fill out the appropriate section of the form, then sign it before a Notary Public. Write the court order that the judge will sign if he approves your name change (see the link in Resources for a sample order). File the forms. The court will give you a hearing date. Attend the hearing date. This is when the judge will let you know if your name change is going to take place.
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Tips & Warnings
Fill out all forms in blue or black ink. Keep copies of all forms for your personal use.
Samples of forms, including the newspaper notice and the final court order, are included in the "Sample Documents" link in the Resource section below.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit court of the pigna , rome image by Pierrette Guertin from Fotolia.com man and woman divorced image by Ivonne Wierink from Fotolia.com man and woman image by Alexey Klementiev from Fotolia.com green files. image by Sorbotrol from Fotolia.com
