In this video, Attorney Tony Ramirez explains how to legally change your name in Texas. We have five offices in Fort Bend County, Wharton County, and Matagorda County. You can schedule an appointment at any of our offices by calling 800-929-1725. Mr. Ramirez is no longer with the Firm.
https://youtu.be/p-GbpSI783I?si=a4BMGVlvYQuW70c2
Summary of How to Legally Change Your Name
Hello, my name is Tony Ramirez. I’m an associate attorney in the law firm of Wadler, Perches, Hundl & Kerlick. And in today’s video, I want to talk to you about how to legally change your name in Texas.
So with going about legally changing your name in Texas, there are two considerations that you want to be thinking about. The first is going to be, why are you requesting a name change? And the second one is going to be is, what is the age of the individual requesting a name change?
There are several reasons why you might be requesting a name change. One of the reasons you might be requesting a name change is that you don’t like the name you were given at birth. Maybe you’re going through an adoption process, or perhaps you’re trying to disassociate with a parent who hasn’t been present in your life.
The Process Differs for Adults and Children
The process of changing your name differs when it’s a minor requesting a name change, compared with an adult requesting a name change. An adult that requests a name change will have to file a petition with the court. They will need to acquire a fingerprint card and submit that to the court. And upon submitting the fingerprint card with the court, they will then appear at a final hearing where they will then ask the judge to grant their name change. Because an adult doesn’t need the approval of any other individual, an adult name change goes a little bit quicker than it would for a minor.
For a minor, a petition is filed on his or her behalf by a parent or guardian. Once a petition is filed, it will be determinative whether or not both parents are present or consent to the name change. Suppose only one parent agrees to the name change or is participating in the name change process. In that case, the parent who is not participating will have to be served with notice of the request for a name change for the minor.
The Court Has Discretion to Legally Change Your Name
The court does have discretion on whether or not to grant a name change. A court may deny a name change because somebody is trying to avoid creditors. Maybe somebody is trying to avoid prosecution of criminal activity, or they’re trying to escape the need to register based on a conviction for criminal activity. At the end of the day, the court still has discretion on whether or not to grant a name change request.
There are two considerations that the court is going to consider. One is whether the name change is in the best interest of the individual who is actually requesting the name change. And the second consideration is going to be whether or not the name change is in the best interest of the public. So for those reasons, the court will consider various factors.
The timeframe is going to differ based on the individual who is requesting the name change, but that’s something that you can learn more about by speaking to an attorney.
Get the Help You Need
If you are seeking to legally change your name, or you have any questions about the process, feel free to reach out to one of our attorneys at Wadler, Perches, Hundl & Kerlick. We have five offices in Fort Bend County, Wharton County, and Matagorda County. You can schedule an appointment at any of our offices by calling 800-929-1725. You can also schedule online by clicking here and sending us the form.
