COURT OF COMMON PLEAS for the State Of Delaware CHANGE OF NAME PETITIONS SUSSEX COUNTY http://courts.state.de.us/commonpleas/ American LegalNet, Inc. www.FormsWorkFlow.com THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS FOR THE STATE OF DELAWARE INSTRUCTIONS FOR CHANGE OF NAME PETITIONS FOR SUSSEX COUNTY This is your change of name packet. It includes the following documents: General Instructions Petition for Name Change Affidavit (to be attached to Petition) Notice of Name Change for Publication Special Instructions for Changing the Name of a Minor (Attachment A) Questionnaire for Name Change of Minor Child Form Letter for Name Change of Minor GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS 1. Petitioner(s) must be residents of the State of Delaware in the county in which the petition is filed. If more than one family member, living in the same household, wishes to change their name, they may do so using one petition. Each petitioner will receive a certified copy of the signed Order. 2. If you are the parents or legal guardian of a minor child and wish to change the name of this child, please read the special instructions for Name Change of Child before proceeding further. A minor is one who has not reached his/her eighteenth (18th) birthday. Notice must be given to the general public that you are changing a given name. This is done by filing the Notice of Name Change with a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which you reside. The notice must be published once a week for three (3) weeks. You are responsible for the cost of the publication. After publication is completed, the newspaper will provide you with an Affidavit of Publication. The Affidavit of Publication must be returned to the Court Clerk's Office along with other documents in this packet. You may publish in the following newspapers: SUSSEX COUNTY (a) (b) (c) (d) The Sussex Countian ­ 1196 S. Little Creek Road, P.O. Box 664, Dover, Delaware 19903, telephone: (302) 856-0026. The Sussex Post - 37 North Walnut Street, Milford, Delaware 19963, telephone: (302) 422-1200. The Cape Gazette ­ 17585 Nassau Commons Blvd., Lewes, Delaware 19958, telephone: (302) 645-7700. The Chronicle ­ 37 North Walnut Street, Milford, Delaware 19963, telephone: (302) 422-1200. American LegalNet, Inc. www.FormsWorkFlow.com 3. Fill out the Petition for Name Change and have the petition and the attached affidavit notarized by a Notary Public. In filling out the Petition, make certain you outline the full name of the individual(s) seeking to have his/her name changed, indicating full addresses, including zip codes and daytime telephone numbers. This is important because the Court Clerk will use the address to mail your certified copy of the Order after it has been signed by a Judge or Commissioner, or may need to contact you prior to your hearing date. If you move before receiving your copy of the Order, you must notify the Clerk's Office of your new address and telephone number. 4. Paragraph numbers 8(a) and 8(b) of the Petition for Name Change should be filled in only if the change of name request is for a minor. 5. Staple together the following documents and bring them to the Clerk's Office of the Court of Common Pleas in the county in which you reside: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) Petition with notarized Affidavit; Affidavit of Publication (from newspaper); Questionnaire for Minor Children, if applicable; Completed form letter for minor children (except date); Birth Certificate; Divorce Decree (if applicable). 6. When you bring your completed packet to the Clerk's Office, you will be required to pay a filing fee of $85.00, which includes a Court Security Assessment. This fee entitles you to two (2) certified copies of the Order signed by a Judge or Commissioner. Each additional copy will cost $10.00. Payment for extra copies must be made by SEPARATE check. You must choose a hearing date at this time. 7. Petitions are heard at the Sussex County Courthouse located on The Circle in Georgetown. At the time you file your Petition, the Court Clerk will tell you when your Petition will be heard. Please direct any questions to the Office of the Clerk, Court of Common Pleas, Sussex County Courthouse, 1 The Circle, Suite 1, Georgetown, DE 19947, telephone (302) 858-5730. 8. You must appear 30 minutes before your scheduled appearance in order to check in with the bailiff and be directed to the appropriate courtroom. Proper dress is required to enter the courtroom. Shirts and shoes must be worn. 9. Petitions that are incomplete in any way will not be accepted. American LegalNet, Inc. www.FormsWorkFlow.com THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS FOR THE STATE OF DELAWARE IN AND FOR SUSSEX COUNTY IN RE CHANGE OF NAME OF: ____________________________ to ____________________________ ) ) ) ) ) ) C.A. No. ________________________ PETITION FOR NAME CHANGE Select One: () An Adult, 1. ( ) a Minor under the age of 18 years. Petitioner, whose address is ___________________________________, is a resident of _______________________County, State of Delaware. Petitioner's daytime telephone number is _________________________. 2. Date and location of Birth of Petitioner or Minor is ___________________ in _______________________. 3. Petitioner desires to change his/her name or Minor's name from __________________________________to _________________________________. 4. The reason for the proposed change of name is: _____________________ _____________________________________________________________________. 5. There are no creditors or other persons who will be defrauded or adversely affected by said change of name. 6. Notice of this Petition has been published in _______________________ Newspaper in _________________________County, once a week for three weeks prior to American LegalNet, Inc. www.FormsWorkFlow.com the filing of this Petition. An Affidavit of Publication is attached hereto as Exhibit "A" and incorporated herein by reference. 7. Complete this section only if Petitioner has pending criminal charges or is currently subject to the supervision of the Department of Corrections. (a) If applicable, list all pending criminal charges: ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ (b) If Petitioner is on probation or parole, specify the name of the officer, the term of probation or parole, and the charge(s): ______________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________