Ian C. Hurley can help you seek a name change after a marriage, divorce or any other personal reasons. In Florida, any individual can change their name as long as they (1) have never been arrested or found guilty of a crime (2) have never been declared bankrupt (3) don’t have any money judgments against them; and (4) are not seeking to change their name for illegal reasons. Name changes must be filed in the county where you live.
In Florida, changing your name because of a recent marriage or divorce is a much simpler process than attempting a name change for another reason. After an individual is married, they will receive a certified marriage certificate. Similarly, after a divorce, one can obtain an official divorce decree. These two documents serve as legal justification for a name change and can be used to notify the appropriate Florida government agencies of your new name, including the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Social Security Office.
Changing your name for a reason other than marriage or divorce requires the filing of a Florida Petition for Change of Name of an Adult.
This petition must include:
Additionally, you must obtain state and federal background checks to accompany the petition and fingerprints from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. All of this paperwork must be filed with the Florida courts.
The Florida courts may hold a name change hearing to consider a name change petition after all paperwork has been received. However, if there are no objections to the name change prior to the court date, a judge may grant the petition without a final hearing. Once the petition is granted, the petitioner will receive a Florida Name Change Judgment, which acts as legal documentation of the official name change and can be used to change a name with any of Florida’s administrative agencies.