A person who plans to change his name should file an application in the probate court of the country in which he resides. The person must be a genuine resident of that country for a period of one year, the application should have valid reasons for the name change and you must indicate the new name you are opting for.
change your name steps:
Newspaper Publication
In Ohio, like the other States, notice of publication shall be given to a leading newspaper in the country at least three days prior to the hearing. The notice should contain details of the petition, date of application, case number, the date and time of hearing.
The application to change your name in the case of a minor has to be forwarded by the parents or guardian in the absence of parents. The consent of both the parents has to be filed.
The complete process of the name change case will be handled by the probate courts. The probate court has forms with detailed instructions to help you out in the process.
The Process
The process involves, submitting a duly filled form with all the necessary details for changing your name, publication of the name change request in a prominent newspaper 30 days prior to the hearing date.
During the hearing, a few questions have to be answered and if the judge feels that they are true and honest the judge officially signs the document of your name change case. Forms and instructions are available in the local country probate court or you can search the website of the concerned probate court. In case of any assistance you can call the clerk of the probate court. You should follow all norms and rules of the court to obtain a new name, any violation can result in the termination of your request.
As in other States, in Ohio also you are not allowed to change your name for some fraudulent purpose, you are not allowed to use the name change for some treacherous purpose and your name shouldn’t defame a popular personality
The court has to follow certain standards; the supreme court of Ohio permitted a transsexual male to change his name to a woman’s name where the lower court has come out with an objection regarding the request. If the Supreme Court of Ohio decides that the reasons for a name change are valid other courts cannot come with a statement that the reasons are not convincing. A lower court decision can be challenged in the superior court in case if your petition gets rejected on the name change case
It’s not compulsory that the judge has dealt with a name change case in the past. In general it’s the attorney who directs you in the process of the name change case. They also do research work for the court and these are submitted in the court in the form of motions.
If you find all alone in front of the judge during the time of hearing and if the judge is not familiar with the situation, you can bring cases of the same fashion to the attention of the court. This will help you to evade a second trip to the court. Be sure that you are well mannered and polite when you answer the questions. This will help you to attain a positive verdict.