Full question:
I am not trying to evade my responsibilities of paying my bills, but I have a couple of claims in civil court that are also on my credit report. Can this hinder the process of a name change?
- Category: Name Change
- Date:
- State: New York
Answer:
In New York, changing your name requires filing a Petition with the County Court or the Supreme Court in your county. If you live in New York City, you can file with the Supreme Court or any branch of the Civil Court of the City of New York. The Petition must include your name, date of birth, place of birth, age, residence, and the new name you want to adopt. You also need to attach a birth certificate or a certified transcript, or a certificate stating that none is available.
The court will review the Petition to ensure it is truthful and that there are no reasonable objections to the name change. The court cannot approve a name change if it is intended to evade legal obligations, such as judgments or debts. After the court approves your name change, you must publish a notice in a designated newspaper within twenty days and file proof of publication with the court within forty-five days.
To summarize, the court must find that (1) the Petition is true, (2) there are no reasonable objections, and (3) the name change serves the public interest. If your claims in civil court are related to avoiding debts, this could hinder your name change request.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.