Fill and Sign the Name Change Instructions and Forms Package for a Family Massachusetts

Prepared by U.S. Legal Forms, Inc. Copyright 2016 - U.S. Legal Forms, Inc. STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS NAME CHANGE FAMILY PACKET Control Number – MA-NAME-3 This packet contains the following: 1. Instructions ; 2. Forms List ; and 3. Access to Massachusetts Law Summary. I. EXPLANATION OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME A. In Massachusetts, an action for a court ordered Change of Name begins with the fling of a Petition in the Probate court. The Petition must contain certain information. The forms in this packet include the necessary information for a Family Name Change in the State of Massachusetts. B. You can use this packet if: ► You have been a resident of the county in which you will fle for the required amount of time as refected 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 – (MA-NC-100) This document states the reasons and other required details for your name change. B. Decree - (MA-NC-201) This is the fnal statement of the legalities and terms of your name change. Once this form is signed by the Judge and fled with the court, the name change is effective. C. Order for Hearing – (MA-NC-102) This ofcially sets the matter for hearing. D. Notice of Name Change – (MA-NC-103) Notice that your Petition has been fled and the matter has been set for hearing. This should be published in a newspaper prior to the hearing. 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 different form, or modifcation 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 (FAMILY) FOR THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS 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 fling. 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 – frst name, middle name, last name. 6. When a form is fled with the court, request the clerk “fle- stamp” one copy of the form for your fle. 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: Using the attached cover letter, mail the Change of Name form, a certifed copy of the Petitioner’s Birth Certifcate, and the requisite fling fee to the appropriate Probate and Family Court, ATTENTION: NAME CHANGE DEPARTMENT. Step 3: After the Court signs the Order for Hearing, you will be required to publish this in the local newspaper of general circulation in the county which you reside, or, if no newspaper is published in that county, then the nearest or adjoining county or the newspaper of general circulation. Step 4: Following publication, submit to the Court a copy of the notice as published. Step 5: When your Petition is ready, you will receive a notice by mail informing you what number to call to schedule a date for your Hearing before the Judge. After the Name Change is allowed, you will receive a certifed copy of your decree. Step 6: 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 7: Obtain a certifed 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 notifcation package” for your state. To “Preview” and order this package, please use the following link: http://www.uslegalforms.com/ma/MA-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 felds” created using Microsoft Word. “Form felds” 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 felds, 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 felds will be visible. The forms are locked which means that the content of the forms cannot be changed. You can only fll in the information in the felds. 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 felds. After any required changes and re-protecting the document, click on the frst form feld and enter the required information. You will be able to navigate through the document from form feld to form feld using your tab key. Tab to a form feld 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/ma/MA-NAME-3.htm DISCLAIMER These materials were developed by U.S. Legal Forms, Inc. based upon statutes and forms for the State of Massachusetts. 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. THESE 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.