Fill and Sign the Maine Name Change Instructions and Forms Package for a Minor Maine

Prepared by U.S. Legal Forms, Inc. Copyright 2016 - U.S. Legal Forms, Inc. STATE OF MAINE NAME CHANGE MINOR PACKET Control Number – ME-NAME-2 This packet contains the following: 1. Instructions ; 2. Forms List ; and 3. Access to Maine Law Summary. I. EXPLANATION OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME A. In Maine, 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 a Minor Name Change in the State of Maine. B. You can use this packet if: ► You are at least 18 years of age and have been a resident of the county in which you will file for the required amount of time as reflected in the law summary. ► 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 - (ME-NC-200) The Petition must be filed in the Probate Court of the county where the person resides. B. Order - (ME-NC-201) The Order Changing Name should be presented to the Judge after hearing and a determination has been made that it is right and proper to change the name of the Minor Petitioner. C. Certificate of Change - (ME-NC-102) This Certificate of Change of Name is the Minor Petitioner’s proof that he/she has had his/her name changed. D. Notice of Name Change - (ME-NC-203) This form must be signed by the Clerk of the appropriate county and issued under the seal of the Court. E. Order for Hearing - (ME-NC-103) This form should be signed by the Judge after the filing of the Petition but prior to the publication of notice if the Court decides a hearing on the Petition is required. If you did not order a completion package and need access to the download page again for any of the above forms, please check your email for a link to that will redisplay the page for you. Note: This package contains forms for use throughout your State. However, some Counties, or Judges may require a diferent form, or modification to these forms. If this happens, please consult with your local Court Clerk. If you are required to use additional forms, please advise us by sending an e-mail to orders@uslegalforms.com. III. PROCEDURE FOR CHANGE OF NAME (MINOR) FOR THE STATE OF MAINE A. Preliminary Note: 1. The attached forms may be completed by: a. Printing the forms and completing by hand. Use black ink and print neatly. b. Printing the forms and completing using a typewriter. c. 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. Forms that require your signature and include a notary block MUST be signed in the presence of the notary or court clerk who will complete the acknowledgement. Use your complete name – first name, middle name, 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 end of this package and select the Law Summary link under the form title and print. 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 in the Probate Court in the county in which you have been a resident and pay the appropriate fee. Step 3: After filing the Clerk will advise you how a hearing will be set and if publication of any notice is required. Follow the directions of the Clerk. Step 4: Prepare the Order for Hearing after the Petition has been filed and get a date for the hearing if the Court decides that a hearing will be necessary. Step 5: Prepare the Notice of Change of Name and have the notice published in a newspaper of general circulation three times in the county in which the party resides or if no newspaper is published in that county in a newspaper of general circulation. Step 6: Submit to the Court a copy of the Notice following publishing. Step 7: Appear as directed by the Clerk and present the Order to Change Name to the Court. 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. Step 8: Download and complete Civil Cover Sheet. Step 9: 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. NOTES ON COMPLETING THESE FORMS The form(s) 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. It is also helpful to be able to see the location of the form fields. Go to 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. In order to use the form fields properly, it is necessary to “lock or protect” the document. If you wish to make any changes in the body of the form, it is necessary for you “unlock” or “unprotect” the form. This is done by clicking 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 . It is very important to understand that, once the document is unprotected, any data entered in the form fields will be lost when the document is again protected. If changes are necessary, unlock the document, using the password “uslf” if necessary, and make any changes that you feel are required. Then protect the document once again. After any required changes and re-protecting the document, click on the first form field and enter the required information. Yoou 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. Inserting date will result in the default line disappearing. Yoou will have sufcient space to enter any required information. LAW SUMMARYo Yoou may access the law summary by going to this URL address: http://www.uslegalforms.com/me/ME-NAME-2.htm DISCLAIMER These materials were developed by U.S. Legal Forms, Inc. based upon statutes and forms for the State of Maine. 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 efect 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 ofered by U.S. Legal Forms (USLF) are not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. 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