Massachusetts’ Procedure for Changing Your Minor Child’s Name
Parents have selected some bizarre names for their kids in recent years. Watch a professional sporting event on television and think about the monikers given to some poor souls. I won't mention any for the risk of offending someone, but you know what I'm talking about.
Suppose you pick a name for your youngster when you are 18 that you think is fresh, but 10 years later, Soy Bean Jones sounds a bit ridiculous and the kid hates it.
Imagine sending the young one off to school with a name the child detests. Kids at school can be mighty mean.
In today's world, there are also issues surrounding gender identification. If Michael is more comfortable being called Michelle or vice versa, can you change the name legally?
In the event of a divorce, remarriage or adoption, you may want to consider changing your offspring's last name.
The Massachusetts Court System, specifically the Probate and Family Court system, says, "Parents and guardians have the right to change the name of their child if the child is under age 18."
The process could take a while and there are fees involved.
The Court System says, "In most cases, you'll file to change your child's name in Probate & Family Court." Under Massachusetts State Law, "The petitioner is the minor child. The legal parents or court-appointed guardian will present the petition to the court."
There is a lot of paperwork involved in changing your minor child's name, and you will need to obtain the child's birth certificate (long-form), which also costs money.
For a full explanation of the process, visit the Probate & Family Court website. For cases involving general issues visit the National Center for Transgender Equality website.
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