questions & answers

Question: I am getting married and wanted to change my entire name due to issues with identity theft. My question is is it possible to change my entire name during the name change process of getting married, what steps will I legally need to take. Thank you in advance for your time and assistance .

Answer: The following information is from the Name Change article found on AZLawHelp.For more information please visit the article. Procedure for Legally Changing Your Name In order to legally change your name you must prepare three documents: 1.Petition for Change of Name (also called an Application for Change of Name); 2.an Order of Name Change; and 3.a Notice of Hearing Regarding Application for Name Change. These forms can be found on the Internet at the Self Service Center of the Maricopa County Superior Court , or in person at your county superior court. The name change forms were prepared for use in Maricopa County but can be used in other Arizona counties if you change "Maricopa" to your county name in the pleadings. Make sure you fill out the papers completely and that they are legible. Along with the forms, you can obtain a complete set of instructions for filing the petition. Take the original and two copies of each document to the superior court building in your county. There is a filing fee; the amount varies from county to county. If you do not have the money to pay the filing fee, you can ask that it be waived (so you never have to pay it) or that it be deferred (so you pay it later). Each county has its own procedure for setting a hearing on the name change. When you file your papers with the court, the clerk can tell you about the hearing procedure. Once the judge signs the order changing the name, you will need to get a certified copy of the order from the Clerk of the Court. You can then contact Social Security, the Driver's License Bureau, your bank, etc. to change your name in their records.