Need Advice on Florida Minor Name Change

[clynnbarnard]

What is the name of your state? FLORIDA

Help!!! I have been all over the internet and made phone calls to the county Family Law Office(couldn't understand half of what they were saying and they were rude as can be-go figure!), trying DESPERATELY to find out the process for filing a petition for Minor Name Change. I downloaded the forms for the petition, the consent and the final judgement and printed them.. I assumed it would be as easy as paying fees and getting this taken care of. Apparently that may not be the case.

A little background-My son is 15. His legal name is my maiden name. The man who's name is on his birth certificate has had little to do with my son. He has given me consent to change my son's name to my husband's name. Eventually, we want to do a full fledged adoption but in all honesty, we do NOT have the money to pursue that at this time. After researching online at length, I am of the impression that I can get my son's last name changed. There are some "family" related issues that would resolve themselves if my son's name matched mine and my husband's. We need to have this done as soon as possible to make life easier on all of us. When I called the Family Law office, the woman INSISTED that we would have to do an adoption now. When I told her that we wanted to petition to have my son's name changed without the adoption, she got very rude and started rattling on in Spanish. I don't KNOW Spanish and this woman is the only one answering phones, apparently.

IT LOOKS LIKE I should be able to print the forms, get the proper signatures and notarizations and file this myself, in the state of Florida. Can SOMEONE please tell me, do I HAVE to have an attorney to do this? Do I HAVE to go through the Family Court Office and does this HAVE to have anything to do with an adoption??

Thank you soooooooo much for whatever assistance you can provide!

Chris

[LdiJ]

Originally Posted by clynnbarnard

What is the name of your state? FLORIDA

Help!!! I have been all over the internet and made phone calls to the county Family Law Office(couldn't understand half of what they were saying and they were rude as can be-go figure!), trying DESPERATELY to find out the process for filing a petition for Minor Name Change. I downloaded the forms for the petition, the consent and the final judgement and printed them.. I assumed it would be as easy as paying fees and getting this taken care of. Apparently that may not be the case.

A little background-My son is 15. His legal name is my maiden name. The man who's name is on his birth certificate has had little to do with my son. He has given me consent to change my son's name to my husband's name. Eventually, we want to do a full fledged adoption but in all honesty, we do NOT have the money to pursue that at this time. After researching online at length, I am of the impression that I can get my son's last name changed. There are some "family" related issues that would resolve themselves if my son's name matched mine and my husband's. We need to have this done as soon as possible to make life easier on all of us. When I called the Family Law office, the woman INSISTED that we would have to do an adoption now. When I told her that we wanted to petition to have my son's name changed without the adoption, she got very rude and started rattling on in Spanish. I don't KNOW Spanish and this woman is the only one answering phones, apparently.

IT LOOKS LIKE I should be able to print the forms, get the proper signatures and notarizations and file this myself, in the state of Florida. Can SOMEONE please tell me, do I HAVE to have an attorney to do this? Do I HAVE to go through the Family Court Office and does this HAVE to have anything to do with an adoption??

Thank you soooooooo much for whatever assistance you can provide!

Chris

Yes, you should be able to print the forms, get the proper signatures and notarizations and file it yourself. You do not have to have an attorney. It does not have to have anything to do with an adoption. I don't know if it has to go through the Family Court Office or not.

Check out this link...it may be helpful:

[url]http://www.flcourts.org/gen_public/family/self_help/index.shtml[/url]

[Gracie3787]

Originally Posted by clynnbarnard

What is the name of your state? FLORIDA

Help!!! I have been all over the internet and made phone calls to the county Family Law Office(couldn't understand half of what they were saying and they were rude as can be-go figure!), trying DESPERATELY to find out the process for filing a petition for Minor Name Change. I downloaded the forms for the petition, the consent and the final judgement and printed them.. I assumed it would be as easy as paying fees and getting this taken care of. Apparently that may not be the case.

A little background-My son is 15. His legal name is my maiden name. The man who's name is on his birth certificate has had little to do with my son. He has given me consent to change my son's name to my husband's name. Eventually, we want to do a full fledged adoption but in all honesty, we do NOT have the money to pursue that at this time. After researching online at length, I am of the impression that I can get my son's last name changed. There are some "family" related issues that would resolve themselves if my son's name matched mine and my husband's. We need to have this done as soon as possible to make life easier on all of us. When I called the Family Law office, the woman INSISTED that we would have to do an adoption now. When I told her that we wanted to petition to have my son's name changed without the adoption, she got very rude and started rattling on in Spanish. I don't KNOW Spanish and this woman is the only one answering phones, apparently.

IT LOOKS LIKE I should be able to print the forms, get the proper signatures and notarizations and file this myself, in the state of Florida. Can SOMEONE please tell me, do I HAVE to have an attorney to do this? Do I HAVE to go through the Family Court Office and does this HAVE to have anything to do with an adoption??

Thank you soooooooo much for whatever assistance you can provide!

Chris

Since you have the legal father's permission, you do not need to go thru the family court office to file. Download the forms, fill them out and file them. Then serve the father and set a hearing date. No, you do not have to do an adoption now. Basically all you are doing is a simple non contested name change which is very easy.

[clynnbarnard]

THANK YOU BOTH SOOOO MUCH for your assistance!!!

I feel much better now!



Christy

[dabora7498]

I Just Did What Your Doing But I Live In Ny So It May Be Different.i Downloaded Forms Off Line Got What I Needed Filled And Went To Local Bank And Had Somethings Notaried. Then I Took Them To My Local County Hall Paid $200.00 To File The Petition. I Then Recieved A Notice From The Supreme Court Asking About The Natural Father.had Him Notarize A Statement Saying He Doesn't Object. And About 2 Weeks Later I Recieved A Call That My Paper Work Was Finish And I Only Needed To Return To The County Hall And Law Journal And Would Be Complete.i Did An Just The Other Day I Recieved My Daughters New Ss Card With Her New Name.her Birth Certificate They Said Will Take A While But All Together I Spent About $250.00 Maybe Less

[Blue Meanie]

Originally Posted by dabora7498

I Just Did What Your Doing But I Live In Ny So It May Be Different.i Downloaded Forms Off Line Got What I Needed Filled And Went To Local Bank And Had Somethings Notaried. Then I Took Them To My Local County Hall Paid $200.00 To File The Petition. I Then Recieved A Notice From The Supreme Court Asking About The Natural Father.had Him Notarize A Statement Saying He Doesn't Object. And About 2 Weeks Later I Recieved A Call That My Paper Work Was Finish And I Only Needed To Return To The County Hall And Law Journal And Would Be Complete.i Did An Just The Other Day I Recieved My Daughters New Ss Card With Her New Name.her Birth Certificate They Said Will Take A While But All Together I Spent About $250.00 Maybe Less

Debora...Please don't type this way..Just standard capitalization. Thanks!!