Changing the name of a minor child in the state of Georgia is not difficult to do if the case is uncontested. Uncontested means that no one will fight the person seeking for the child’s name to be changed. If both parents are in agreement or if one of the parents has not been substantively involved in the child’s life for a number of years, filing a petition to change a child’s name is usually more procedural than litigious.
All of the legal documents needed to change the name of a minor child in Georgia can be found at the Family Division of the Fulton County Superior Court website. Download package number 10, which includes minor name change forms and instructions to fill them out properly.
How to Fill Out and File Minor Name Change Documents and Forms
When preparing the paperwork, it is acceptable for more than one child to be placed on the petition as long as the circumstances of the name change request are the same for each child whose name is being changed legally.
For example, a mother who is requesting that the name of all three of her children be changed to something different can include them all on one petition as long as the children have the same father, and the father is in agreement with the name change.
When all of the paperwork is filled and signed, a filing fee will need to be paid to open the action. These fees are different in different counties, so be certain to call the clerk of superior court and ask for the exact filing fee. It will generally be between $75 and $100.
A publication fee of approximately $100 will also have to be paid, as the legal notice of name change must run for 4 weeks in the legal organ of the county where the action has been filed, and this generally costs $20 per week.
Waiting Periods to Finalize a Child’s Name Change in Georgia
After the case has been filed, a waiting period ensues while the publication notice runs in the paper. This notice runs for 4 weeks and, during the time that it is being published, the public has a chance to formally respond to the court with any objections.
Once the publication has finished running, the paper will send documents verifying this to the person who filed for the name change. These verification documents must be filed with the clerk of the superior court in the county where the petition to change the child's name was originally filed. Once this is done, a final hearing can be scheduled in front of a judge.
It usually takes about 3 months to get a final hearing after the case is opened. It can take a shorter or longer period of time depending on the court’s schedule.
What Happens at the Final Hearing of a Minor Child’s Name Change
The person who filed the petition to change the child’s name must be present at the hearing. The judge may have a few questions based on the information in the paperwork that was filed. The court will want to make certain that everyone who has a legal right to know about the name change petition has been informed and has responded. Additionally, the judge will want to make certain that the publication ran for 4 weeks.
At this hearing, the judge will sign a final decree. This is the legal document that changes the child’s name to the name that has been requested. This signed decree must also be filed with the clerk of court.
A person who wishes to use this decree to get the child’s name legally changed on a birth certificate, social security card, driver’s license or other legal document, must obtain a certified copy of the signed Final Decree from the clerk of court. This may cost an additional fee.
For more information regarding name change laws in Georgia, please read Minor Child Name Change Laws in Georgia and How to File for a Legal Name Change in Georgia.
Janice Fahy - Janice Fahy is a freelance writer who is comfortable researching and writing on just about any topic under the sun.
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