110/20/21
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Your Partner in Legal Research Since 1891
Adult Name
Change Workshop
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Self-Help Workshop
• Information & Instructions on Preparing and
Filing a Petition for Change of Name
• Self Representation
• No Legal Advice
• No Confidentiality
• No Attorney/Client Relationship
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Workshops Limitations
• Information specific to filing Adult Name Change
Petition in Los Angeles County Superior Court
• This is not a workshop for the following types of
name changes:
• Name Change of Minor Children
• Confidential Name Change
• Change of Name & Gender
• CA Name Change - CA Courts Self Help Center
https://www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp-namechange.htm
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Name Change Without Filing Case
• After marriage or domestic partnership: might be able
to use certificate to change name.
• In a divorce or annulment case: request name change
during case or at judgment.
• After Judgment entered- Form FL-395 Ex Parte
Application for Restoration of Former Name After
Entry of Judgment & Order.
• To correct minor spelling errors on birth certificate:
Form VS-24 Affidavit to Amend a Birth Record with
CA Dept. of Public Heath, Office of Vital Records.
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Requirements LA County
Adult Name Change Petition
• You must be 18 years or older.
• You must live in Los Angeles County.
• You must provide a LA County address.
• You must disclose whether you are under the
jurisdiction of the CA Dept. of Corrections or
a registered sex offender under CA Penal
Code Section 290.
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Mandatory Criminal Background Check
• Court will receive a criminal history
assessment from the LA County
Probation Department.
• Potential problems include outstanding
bench and traffic warrants.
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Name Change Class - Overview
• Part 1: The Name Change Process
• Part 2: How to Complete the Forms
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Overview of the Name Change Process
• File court forms and get a hearing date.
• Publish form NC-120 Order to Show Cause in
an approved LA County newspaper.
• Attend court hearing, if required.
• Get certified copies of court order.
• Change name in government & business
records.
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Step 1: Preparing Court Forms
• CA State Forms & LA Superior Court Local Forms
• Include name of the newspaper for publication prior
to filing. (NC-120 Order to Show Cause #3.a)
• Los Angeles Superior Court filing fee for Name
Change Petition is $435. (Credit Card or Check)
• To request a fee waiver, complete fee waiver forms.
(Form FW-001 & FW-003)
• Help with Fee Waiver Request
https://www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp-feewaiver.htm
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Step 2: Filing Court Forms
• You have 2 options for filing:
1. File in downtown Los Angeles (Stanley Mosk)
2. File in your local courthouse
(determined by your zip code)
3. To determine local courthouse: www.lacourt.org;
“Online Services”; “Court Filing Locator”
• Name Change is a “Civil Unlimited” Case
Type
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Filing Forms During The Pandemic
• In person at the courthouse
• Drop Box in front of the courthouse
• US Mail
• Include “ Payment Submittal Notice”, original and 2
copies of forms and a self-addressed, stamped
envelope to receive court stamped forms
• Fax Filing-Use Form MC-005 Facsimile Transmission
Cover Sheet include credit card number
• Courthouse Locations/Information
http://www.lacourt.org/courthouse
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What happens when you file your case?
• Clerk will process request for fee waiver, file the
original forms, assign a case number and court stamp
copies.
• At some courthouses the hearing date will be
assigned at the time of filing and listed on the NC-120
Order to Show Cause.
• At some courthouses the NC-120 Order to Show Cause
(with the hearing date) will be mailed to you after filing
the case.
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Step 3: Publication
• Take court-stamped copy of Form NC-120
Order to Show Cause with hearing date to
newspaper of your choice.
• Pay the newspaper’s private publication fee.
• Publication fee varies and cannot be waived.
• Publication 1 time per week for 4 weeks.
• Proof of Publication should be sent by the
newspaper to the Court.
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Newspaper for Publication
• Select a newspaper legally qualified by the County of
Los Angeles to publish orders & notices.
• Complete list of approved newspapers-LA County
Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk website
https://www.lavote.net/home/county-clerk/fictitious-
business-names/publication
• Options:
• Daily Journal
• Daily Commerce
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On Parole: Extra Service Requirement
• On parole under the jurisdiction of the Dept. of
Corrections & Rehabilitation-in addition to
publication-you must serve copies of the Petition for
Change of Name, Attachment to Petition & Order to
Show Cause to the Regional Parole Administrator
• File Proof of Service (Form POS-040) with the Court
• Other requirements-in state prison or county jail-
https://www.courts.ca.gov/22489.htm
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Step 4: Confirm Proof of Publication
filed with the Court
• Newspaper should send the Court an
original Proof of Publication.
• Check documents filed in your case on LA
Superior Court website: www.lacourt.org
under “Find a Case”.
• The Proof of Publication should appear in
the list of documents filed in your case.
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Step 5: Your Court Hearing
• Bring copies of all documents to your hearing.
• Be prepared to explain why you want to
change your name.
• Potential Problems: No Proof of Publication
filed with the Court, outstanding bench or
traffic warrants, or written objection filed by
3
rd
party.
• You can ask the judge for more time and a
new hearing date. (A “Continuance”)
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Hearings at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse
• 1-2 days before hearing date-check LA Court website
www.lacourt.org
• Select the ONLINE SERVICES tab;
• Drop down menu, under the CIVIL SECTION, select
TENTATIVE RULINGS link;
• Input your case number & select search;
• If your petition is GRANTED, you do not need to go
to your hearing.
• If the court intends to DENY the petition, you must
go to your hearing.
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Step 6: Obtaining Certified Copies of
Name Change Order
• Form NC-130 Decree Changing Name with
official Court seal.
• Go to courthouse to get copies or request on
LA Superior Court website.
• Court fee for each certified copy.
• Court fee waived with fee waiver order.
• Usually several certified copies needed.
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Step 7: Changing Your Name in
Government & Business Records
• Contact each government agency and business.
• Requirements vary, many agencies want a certified
copy of the NC-130 Decree Changing Name.
• Birth Certificate-contact state where you were born
• Social Security Card-Social Security Administration
• CA DMV-Name Change Checklist on website
• US Passport-US Department of State
• Naturalization Certificate-US Dept. of Homeland Security
• Veterans-US Department of Veterans Affairs
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California Birth Certificates
• If you were born in California, you may request
an “amendment” to your birth certificate to include your new
name.
• Amendment to birth certificate after a court ordered name
change not legally required but may be necessary.
• To amend your birth certificate complete Form VS-23 & submit
to the CA Dept. of Public Health, Vital Records
• https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CHSI/pages/vital-
records.aspx
• Certified copy of NC-130 Decree Changing Name required.
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Name Change Court Forms
• CA State Forms: www.courts.ca.gov CM-010, NC-100,
NC-110, NC-120, NC-130
• LASC Local Forms: www.lacourt.org
• LACIV 109 Civil Case Cover
• LACIV 226 Criminal History
• Fee Waiver Forms: www.courts.ca.gov
• FW-001 Request to Waive Ct Fees
• FW-003 Order o Court Fee Waiver
• See FW-001 Information Sheet on Fee Waiver
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Information Needed for Court Forms
• Your Los Angeles County address
• Your date of birth & place of birth
• Courthouse location for filing case
• Your current legal name (“Present Name”)
• The new name you want (“Proposed Name”)
• Name of newspaper for publication
• 50 words or less: explain reason for name
change
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What is your “Present Name”?
• “Present Name” = Current legal name
• Check key government-issued documents
such as birth certificate, Social Security card, driver’s
license, and passport.
• List you full legal name as listed exactly on your birth
certificate.
• Do not abbreviate with initials.
• You may need to include AKAs (“Also Known As”) if
different names on government issued ID.
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Changing a California Birth Certificate
After Court Ordered Name Change
• To ensure that California birth certificate can be
amended after name change is granted, use the exact
name listed on California birth certificate as “present
name” on Name Change Petition (Form NC-100).
• Question about California birth certificates: Contact
California Dept. of Public Health, Vital Records
• Customer Service: (916) 445-2684
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What is your “Proposed Name”?
• “Proposed Name” = New name you want
• Reasons the Court may deny request:
1. Fraudulent Purpose
2. Interfere with Rights of Others
3. Intentionally Confusing
4. “Fighting Words”: Racial Slurs or other
words likely to incite violence
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Reason for Name Change?
• Explain on NC-110 Attachment #7.c
• 50 words or less
• Examples:
• Current name is confusing (spelling/pronunciation)
• Ancestral (family) name
• Already personal or professional name
• Spouses want the same last name
• Birth or Former Name
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Name Change Computer Program
• LawHelp Interactive Computer Program
https://lawhelpinteractive.org/Interview/GenerateInterview/5559
/engine
• Question & Answer format
• Forms not filed from the website
• Generates partially completed forms (one LASC form missing)
• Print forms, then date & sign
• Complete top portion of LACIV 226 Name Change Criminal History
Assessment
• LACIV 109 Civil Case Cover Sheet is not included -download from
http://www.lacourt.org/forms/civil and complete
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