The Law Office of Rhonda Blackwell Siler is a law firm representing clients in the North Georgia mountain area handling mostly uncontested divorces, name changes and life planning documents.  The primary counties served are Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murphy, Pickens and Union.  Please call to ask about other counties and other areas of law.  Divorces are $250.00 without minors and $500.00 with minors.  The information provided on this site is not legal advice  and is provided for educational purposes only.    
 Copyright 2010 The Law Offices of Rhonda Blackwell Siler, the north Georgia uncontested divorce law firm.  All rights reserved.

Name Change of a Minor in Georgia

 

In Georgia, in order to legally change the name of a minor child, you must have written consent of both parents.  However, legal consent of a living parent is not required if that parent has not contributed financially to the support of the child for period of five years or more immediately preceding the filing of the petition. If the parents are not living or have abandoned the child, then the child’s guardian must file written consent with the petition.  Please note that I only handle minor name changes that are not contested to by either of the minor’s parents.

 

 

     ***   PLEASE NOTE THAT CHANGING THE NAME OF A MINOR CHILD DOES NOT DO CHANGE THE LEGAL STATUS OF THE CHILD OR THE FATHER:

 

  - - - If you are the father of a child born out of wedlock, and you want to become the legal father, you must use a different procedure called “Legitimation.”  You may change the child’s name in the Legitimation action, and do not have to file a separate name change petition.

 

 - - - If you are a mother or father who wants to have a court decide who is the child’s father, you must file a Paternity action. After you are found to be the biological father you will then file the Legitimation action and proceed from there.

 

 - - -  If you are the natural parents of a child born out of wedlock in Georgia, and you have now married each other and want to change the child’s birth certificate to show the father and change the child’s name, you do not have to file a court action. Instead, you may file a simple form with the Georgia Bureau of Vital Records. The form is called Application for an Amended Certificate of Birth by Legitimation (Form #3929), and is available from the Vital Records office.

 
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