Full question:
Two years back, I shifted to Brooke County, West Virginia. Earlier, I was in Mingo County. I want to change the name of my minor child. In which County shall I file the petition for a name change?
- Category: Name Change
- Date:
- State: West Virginia
Answer:
In West Virginia, a person who want to change the name of his child, may apply to the circuit court or family court of the county in which he resides by a verified petition setting forth and affirming that he has been a bona fide resident of the county for at least one year prior to the filing of the petition. It is covered under W. Va. Code § 48-25-101 which reads:“(a) A person desiring a change of his or her own name, or that of his or her child, may apply to the circuit court or family court of the county in which he or she resides by a verified petition setting forth and affirming the following:
(1) That he or she has been a bona fide resident of the county for at least one year prior to the filing of the petition or that he or she is a nonresident of the county who was born in the county, was married in the county and was previously a resident of the county for a period of at least fifteen years;
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Since you have been residing in Brooke County for more than one year, you can apply for name change in the circuit court or family court of the Brooke County by a verified petition affirming that you are a bona fide resident of Brooke County. You may file the petition in First Judicial Circuit or First Family Court Circuit for the purpose.
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.
