Louisiana Adult Name Change Packet

STATE OF LOUISIANA
NAME CHANGE
ADULT PACKET

Control Number – LA-NAME-1

This packet contains the following:

1. Instructions;
2. Forms List; and
3. Access to Louisiana Law Summary.

I. EXPLANATION OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME

A. In Louisiana, an action for a court ordered Change of Name begins with the filing of a Petition in the District Court in the parish in which the Petitioner resides. The Petition must contain certain information. The forms in this packet include the necessary information for An Adult Name Change in the State of Louisiana.

B. You can use this packet if:

• You are a resident in the county in which you will file.
• You have proper and reasonable cause for the requested change of name.
• You are not changing your name to avoid debts or defraud creditors.

II. WHAT FORMS ARE INCLUDED

This section describes the forms you will be completing. Please provide the requested information below as it would appear on these forms.

III. PROCEDURE FOR CHANGE OF NAME (Adult) FOR THE STATE OF LOUISIANA

A. Preliminary Note:

1. The attached forms may be completed by:
   • Printing the forms and completing by hand. Use black ink and print neatly.
   • Printing the forms and completing using a typewriter.
   • By completing the forms on your computer using a word processing program and then printing the forms.
2. Use complete names and not initials. Check your spelling carefully, a misspelled word can delay your name change.
3. Print three (3) complete sets of forms. You will need at least one for filing with the court, one copy of the petition, Citation, and Waiver for service on the on the District Attorney, and one complete set to be file stamped and retained in your files.
4. All forms with a heading – the name of the court, the Petitioners' name, the case number, and the name of the document require that the heading be completed. You will need to add the name of the court and the full name of the Petitioners. The “Docket No.” will be assigned by the clerk at the time you file your Petition.
5. Sign the Petition before a Notary Public and have your signature notarized. Use your complete name first name, middle name, and last name.
6. When a form is filed with the court, request the clerk “file-stamp" one copy of the form for your file.
7. A Law Summary is available and can be printed for your State. To do so, go to the last page of this package. Please review the law summary before beginning the process of completing the forms.

B. Procedure

1. Step 1: Complete all the forms using complete names middle names instead of middle initials.
2. Step 2: File the Petition for Change of Name in the District Court in the parish in which you reside and pay the appropriate fee.
3. Step 3: Service on the District Attorney for the parish is required. A copy of the Petition for Change of Name, Citation and Waiver must be served on the District Attorney. This will cite the District Attorney to answer the Petition.
4. Step 4: After filing the Clerk will provide you additional directions of how to proceed.
5. Step 5: Appear as directed by the Clerk and present the Proposed Judgment. At the hearing, any persons objecting to the requested Name Change will be heard by the Court; and the Court may examine, upon oath, the Petitioner(s) or other persons concerning the Petition.
6. Step 6: Obtain a certified copy of the Order from the Clerk after it has been signed by the Judge. You are now ready to notify appropriate persons and governmental agencies of the change.

NOTIFICATION OF YOUR NAME CHANGE

Now that you have completed the name change process and received your Order, Judgment or Decree of Name Change, it is very important that you immediately notify the necessary government agencies, business entities and individuals of your "new" name.

To assist in this process, we have prepared a comprehensive “name change notification package” for your state. To “Preview” and order this package, please use the following link:

http://www.uslegalforms.com/la/LA-9087.htm

Good Luck with your new name! If we may be of assistance in the future, please contact Customer Service:

1-(877) 389-0141 - 8:30-5:00 Central Time Zone

or

http://www.uslegalforms.com/help/

NOTE ABOUT COMPLETING THE FORMS

The forms in this packet contain “form fields” created using Microsoft Word. “Form fields" facilitate completion of the forms using your computer. They do not limit you ability to print the form “in blank” and complete with a typewriter or by hand.

If you do not see the gray shaded form fields, go the View menu, click on Toolbars, and then select Forms. This will open the forms toolbar. Look for the button on the forms toolbar that resembles a shaded letter "a". Click in this button and the form fields will be visible.

The forms are locked which means that the content of the forms cannot be changed. You can only fill in the information in the fields.

If you need to make any changes in the body of the form, it is necessary for you "unlock” or “unprotect” the form. IF YOU INTEND TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE CONTENT, DO SO BEFORE YOU BEGIN TO FILL IN THE FIELDS. IF YOU UNLOCK THE DOCUMENT AFTER YOU HAVE BEGUN TO COMPLETE THE FIELDS, WHEN YOU RELOCK, ALL INFORMATION YOU ENTERED WILL BE LOST. To unlock click on “Tools” in the Menu bar and then selecting “unprotect document". You may then be prompted to enter a password. If so, the password is "uslf". That is uslf in lower case letters without the quotation marks. After you make the changes relock the document before you being to complete the fields.

After any required changes and re-protecting the document, click on the first form field and enter the required information. You will be able to navigate through the document from form field to form field using your tab key. Tab to a form field and insert your data. If problems, please let us know.

LAW SUMMARY

You may access the law summary by going to this URL address:

http://www.uslegalforms.com/la/LA-NAME-1.htm

DISCLAIMER

These materials were developed by U.S. Legal Forms, Inc. based upon statutes and forms for the State of Louisiana. All Information and Forms are subject to this Disclaimer: All forms in this package are provided without any warranty, express or implied, as to their legal effect and completeness. Please use at your own risk. If you have a serious legal problem we suggest that you consult an attorney. U.S. Legal Forms, Inc. does not provide legal advice. The products offered by U.S. Legal Forms (USLF) are not a substitute for the advice of an attorney.

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