Name change in CA

What is the name of your state? ca
been divorced for 20 yrs and kept the x's name because of kids - now want my maiden name back - how do I do this?

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

Originally posted by swebb
What is the name of your state? ca
been divorced for 20 yrs and kept the x's name because of kids - now want my maiden name back - how do I do this?

My response:

Easy. You fill out and file a "Petition for Name Change," and pay the $194.00 filing fee. In Los Angeles, it's form #403.

IAAL

[vrzirn]

i do not believe that formality is necessary. The maiden name was always hers and she only needs to resume using it. She would merely have to send copies of her birth certificate and the divorce decree to SS, banks, fund administrators, DMV, etc.

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

Originally posted by vrzirn
i do not believe that formality is necessary. The maiden name was always hers and she only needs to resume using it. She would merely have to send copies of her birth certificate and the divorce decree to SS, banks, fund administrators, DMV, etc.

My response:

Not so, Vrzirn. After twenty years of using a "married name", California recognizes that name as your legal name; i.e., because it's on a Marriage Certificate. Due to the marriage, you get that name change for free.

Now, if you take a look at a Petition for Dissolution form, you'll see a question with a check box that asks if you wish the Order of Dissolution to include a reversion back to your pre-marital name. If you don't check that box, any Order of Dissolution will not include a name change. Such a change is a freebie at the time of Dissolution. After the Order is signed by the judge, and you didn't check that box, it's too late to have your name changed legally. A person would then be required to file a new Petition for Name Change, and pay a new filing fee.

Sure, you can call yourself anything you want. However, when it comes to signing "legal papers" of any type, you'd still have to sign with your "legal" name. So, to make it all legal, a Petition is required.

IAAL

[vrzirn]

Aha! So that is how I got my maiden name back so easily. Just checked the correct box.
Perhaps our poster did so as well and just forgot.

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

Originally posted by vrzirn
Perhaps our poster did so as well and just forgot.

My response:

Well, no - - not exactly, Vrzirn . . .

If you recall, our writer said - -

"been divorced for 20 yrs and kept the x's name because of kids."

So, it sounds to me like our writer "purposefully" did not request a legal name change at that time, and now, because she "remembered" that she didn't request a name change at the time, is now wanting it formally changed.

Unfortunately, our writer never did mention her County name, so I used Los Angeles as an example for the form. Each County has it's own particular form, and form number.

IAAL