How it works: There is no court appearance for a change of name. The procedure is to purchase an Index Number from the Court, submit the Petition and Order, wait for the Judge to sign an Order requiring the publication of a Notice in the newspaper, obtain and file with the Court an affidavit from the newspaper proving that the Notice was published and then obtaining a certified copy of the Order. For men from 18 to 26 years of age, the Order must include notification to the Selective Service. For naturalized citizens, the Order must include notification to the Immigration and Naturalization Service. This is a name change, not an adoption. If the purpose of the name change is suspiciously close to the purpose of an adoption, the Court will not accept the Petition. A name change for a child requires the consent of both parents. The purpose of the procedure is to avoid fraud. The Court wants to know if you are avoiding a criminal record or debtors. The reason for the name change is usually to take the mother's maiden name rather than the father's, or for religious reasons, or to simplify the name or for professional reasons, actors, artists, models etc. Jonathan C. Teller, Attorney at Law 39 West 32 Street Suite 1603 New York, NY 10001 212-268-4848 info@teller-law.com