Jefferson County Probate Court

STATE OF ALABAMA JEFFERSON COUNTY PROBATE COURT NAME CHANGE ADULT PACKET

This packet contains the following:

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

I. EXPLANATION OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME

A. In Jefferson County, Alabama, an action for a court ordered Change of Name begins with the filing of a Petition in the Probate Court. The Petition must contain certain information. The forms in this packet include the necessary information for An Adult Name Change in the Probate Court of Jefferson County, Alabama.

B. You can use this packet if:

• You are at least 19 years of age and have been a resident of the county in which you will file for a period of one year.
• 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

A. Petition and Declaration Change of Name – This document states the reasons and other required details for your name change.

B. Decree Confirming Declaration as to Change Name – This final statement of the legalities and terms of your name change. Once this form is signed by the Judge and filed with the court, the name change is effective.

III. PROCEDURE FOR CHANGE OF NAME (ADULT) FOR THE STATE OF ALABAMA

A. Preliminary Note:

1. The attached forms may be completed by:
   1. Printing the forms and completing by hand. Use black ink and print neatly.
   2. Printing the forms and completing using a typewriter.
   3. 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.
4. All forms with a heading – the name of the court, the Petitioner's 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 Petitioner. The “Action/Cause No.” will be assigned by the court clerk at the time of filing.
5. The Petition and Declaration for Change of Name requires the Petitioner's signature. This form MUST be signed in the presence of the notary or court clerk who will complete the acknowledgement. Use your present 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 has been included at the end of this form packet. Review the Law Summary before beginning the process of completing the forms.

B. Procedure

• Step 1: Complete all the forms using complete names – middle names instead of middle initials.
• Step 2: File the Petition and Declaration in the Probate Court in the county in which you have been a resident for a period of at least one year. You should bring sufficient cash for the filing fee and certified copies of the final order.
• Step 3: Generally, the clerk will send you and the filed forms to a department and the Judge will examine them. There is generally no formal hearing.
• Step 4: If the Court is satisfied as to (1) the truth of the allegations contained in the Petition; and, (2) that there is a reasonable and proper basis for the requested change of name, the Court will issue the Order of Name Change.
• Step 5: 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.

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

The law summary for this package may be located and printed from the following address:

http://www.uslegalforms.com/products.php/AL-NAME-1.htm

DISCLAIMER

These materials were developed by U.S. Legal Forms, Inc. based upon statutes and forms for the State of Alabama. 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.

THE MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY OF ANY KIND INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, NONINFRINGEMENT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL U. S. LEGAL FORMS, INC. OR ITS AGENTS OR OFFICERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF INFORMATION) ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE MATERIALS, EVEN IF U.S. LEGAL FORMS, INC. HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.