Oklahoma Minor Name Change Packet

STATE OF OKLAHOMA NAME CHANGE MINOR PACKET

Control Number – OK-NAME-2

Prepared by U.S. Legal Forms, Inc. Copyright 2016

This packet contains the following:

1. Instructions;

2. Forms List; and

3. Access to Oklahoma Law Summary.

I. EXPLANATION OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME

A. In Oklahoma, an action for a court ordered Change of Name begins with the filing of a Petition in the District 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 Oklahoma.

B. You can use this packet if:

► You are less than 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 for Change of Name – (OK-NC-201) This document states the reasons and other required details for your name change.

B. Notice of Filing Petition for Change of Name – (OK-NC-200) Notice that your Petition for Change of Name has been filed and the matter has been set for hearing.

C. Order to Publish Notice of Hearing – (OK-NC-207) This document is executed by the Court to require the Petitioner to publish notice that a hearing will take place at a specific time.

D. Publisher’s Affidavit – (OK-NC-102) This form provides proof of publication of the Notice of Publication.

E. Affidavit of Mailing – (OK-NC-204) This affidavit avers and establishes that proper mailing of the Notice was sent to the required parties.

F. Affidavit of Due Diligence – (OK-NC-205) This document provides, under oath, statements about the efforts that were taken to locate or contact a non-participating parent or guardian.

G. Minor's Consent – (OK-NC-206) This document provides the written consent of the minor whose name is to be changed.

H. Order of Name Change – (OK-NC-202) This form is the 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.

I. Civil Cover Sheet – (OK-NC-104) This provides certain necessary information to the court.

J. Parental Consent to Name Change – (OK-NC-208) Provides a means for a nonparty parent to submit their consent to the name change of the minor.

K. Affidavit for Service by Publication – (OK-NC-203)

III. PROCEDURE FOR CHANGE OF NAME (MINOR) FOR THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA

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.

B. Procedure – both parents signing as Petitioners or consenting to the name change.

Step 1: Complete all the following forms using complete names – middle names instead of middle initials:

Petition for Change of Name

Minor’s Consent to Name Change – if minor is 12 or older.

Consent of Parent to Name Change of Minor

Order to Publish Notice of Hearing

Notice of Filing Petition for Change of Name

Publisher’s Affidavit

Order of Name Change

Civil Cover Sheet

Step 2: Sign the Petition before a notary public and make 2 copies of each form. File the Petition in the District 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 of the hearing date and time.

Step 4: Complete the Notice of Filing of Petition to Change Name by adding the date and time of the hearing. The Notice must be published one time at least ten (10) days prior to the date set for hearing in some newspaper authorized by law to publish legal notices printed in the county where the petition is filed if there be any printed in such county, and if there be none, then in some such newspaper printed in this state of general circulation in that county. The hearing date may be any day after completion of the publication. The court or judge, for cause, may continue the matter to a later date.

Step 5: After the Notice of Filing of Petition to Change Name has been published the newspaper will complete the Publisher’s Affidavit and forward it to you or the court. If it is sent to you, you will need to take it to the hearing and file it with the court.

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 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.

C. Procedure – if only one parent signing as Petitioner and the absent parent is not signing or consenting to the name change.

Step 1: Complete all the following forms using complete names – middle names instead of middle initials:

Petition for Change of Name – use the Petition form that contains a number 7 where you designate which parent is acting as Petitioner.

Minor’s Consent to Name Change – if minor is 12 or older.

Order to Publish Notice of Hearing

Notice of Filing Petition for Change of Name

Publisher’s Affidavit

Affidavit of Mailing – You will use this form if the location of the absent parent is known. You must mail a copy of the Petition and Notice of Filing Petition for Change of Name to the absent parent and complete the Affidavit of Mailing and file it with the clerk. The mailing must be certified, return receipt requested, and delivery restricted to the name addressee.

Affidavit of Due Diligence – If the location of the absent parent is unknown, you must complete this form with as much detail as possible. The Court will require sufficient information for you to establish a good faith effort to locate the missing parent in order to provide notice of the name change action.

Affidavit for Service by Publication

Order of Name Change

Civil Cover Sheet

Step 2: Sign the Petition before a notary public and make 2 copies of each form. File the Petition in the District 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 of the hearing date and time.

Step 4: Complete the Notice of Filing of Petition to Change Name by adding the date and time of the hearing. The Notice must be published one time at least ten (10) days prior to the date set for hearing in some newspaper authorized by law to publish legal notices printed in the county where the petition is filed if there be any printed in such county, and if there be none, then in some such newspaper printed in this state of general circulation in that county. The hearing date may be any day after completion of the publication. The court or judge, for cause, may continue the matter to a later date.

Step 5: Give notice to the non-party and non-consenting parent using the Affidavit of Mailing (certified return receipt requested) or the Affidavit of Due Diligence if his or her location is unknown and Affidavit for Service by Publication. The Notice of Filing is then published after the Order to Publish Notice of the Hearing is signed by the Judge.

Step 6: After the Notice of Filing of Petition to Change Name has been published the newspaper will complete the Publisher’s Affidavit and forward it to you or the court. If it is sent to you, you will need to take it to the hearing and file it with the court.

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: 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

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

http://www.uslegalforms.com/ok/OK-NAME-2.htm

DISCLAIMER

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

Sample Form Fields

Court Name:

Petitioner Name:

Child's Name:

Case Number:

Effective Date:

Reason for Name Change:

Consent Given:

Publication Required:

Mailing Required:

Additional Notes: