Name Change | |
Name Change Questionnaire Please type up & fill out completely and email to vercammenlaw@njlaws.com, fax or mail back. If you email, typing name and details is best. Save as word doc or text, not pdf. This form is extremely important. Your accuracy and completeness in responding will help me best represent you. All sections and information must be filled out prior to discussing with the attorney. Cannot be handwritten since we cannot cut and paste into the forms we need to file electronically with the court.. Legal Fee $1,900, due within 7 days Consult only $200
NAME __________________________________________________
Name of Birth Certificate if different _________________________
ADDRESS ______________________________________________
CITY ______________________ STATE ____ZIP _____________
CELL-PHONE ___________________________________
E-MAIL ADDRESS ___________________________________________ 1. Applicant is the plaintiff and resides at the address? ___________ 2. The applicant is a citizen of the United States of America. YES___ NO___ 3. Plaintiff's social security number is __________________________. 4. Applicant was born on _______________________ in the city/state of ________________. 5. Applicant is the son/daughter of ______________ and _________________ (A copy of the birth certificate is attached). 6. Plaintiff was raised by _______________. Applicant's current occupation is that of ______________. rev 4/1/20
7. Plaintiff has since childhood been identified by the name of ____________________ 8. Has Applicant been married? YES___ NO____
9. No judgments have ever been recovered against the applicant; no bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings have been instituted affecting the applicant; and no suits are now pending against the applicant. Yes___ No_____
10. Applicant has not been convicted of a crime within the last 10 years. There are not any criminal charges pending against applicant. Therefore, no notice is required to the County Prosecutor or Attorney General. Yes___ No_____ 11. This application is not made with the intent to avoid creditors or criminal prosecution or for other fraudulent purpose. Yes___ No_____ 12. Plaintiff - has ___ has not ___ made previous application to assume another name. 13. Applicant desires to change applicant's name to _________ 14. Plaintiff requests this name change for the following reasons: A. ___________________________________________
_____________________________________________
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Social Security number will be needed to prepare the Complaint. Don’t write on this form yet.
Name Change : SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED AND LEGAL FEE 1. Office interview with client, office consult fee is $150.00, which is included in the Name Change fee. 2. Review Name Change Questionnaire filled out by client. 3. Obtain information such as name, address and telephone number. 4. Obtain information regarding details of Name Change 5. Attend to opening of file. 6. Preparation of draft Verified Complaint Including Certification of Plaintiff for Name Change 7. Preparation of Order Fixing Date of Hearing for Name Change 8. Prepare letter to client enclosing drafts for client to carefully read. 9. Preparation of Newspaper Notice 10. Preparation of letter to The Home News & Tribune 11. Preparation of Final Judgment for Name Change 12. Preparation of Civil Case Information Statement CIS 13. Travel to County Courthouse and appearance in front of Superior Court Judge 14 Preparation of letter to Department of Treasury 15 Preparation of letter to Vital Statistics 16. Preparation of letter to Motor Vehicle Commission DMV with Judgment 17 Office conference with client 18. Provide free information brochures on Wills, Power of Attorney, Living Wills, Answers to Questions about Probate, Website/ Elder Law on the Internet website www.njlaws.com other brochures. 19. Provide bi-weekly computer email newsletter with updates on Probate, Insurance, and Free Legal Information. 20. Preparation of end of case letter to client Legal fee for Name Change- $ 1,900 includes court appearance. Please make Checks payable to Vercammen Law. Visa, Master Card and American Express accepted. Please pay the front desk legal secretary at first meeting. Payment is required prior to any documents being drafted. Other costs: 2. Superior Court Filing Fee $250.00 , either separate check to Vercammen Law or credit cars 3. Newspaper Publication Fee of Hearing Notice $ _________ approx $135 Depends on newspaper 4 Newspaper Publication Fee of Judgment approving Name Change $ _________ approx $135 Depends on newspaper
The newspaper will send a bill and you prepare a check payable to newspaper, not to exceed $190 usually the Home News Tribune, 5. Check for $50.00 payable Treasurer, State of NJ for each certified copies after Order granted 6. Department of Treasury $50 Payable to Department of Treasury to file Please write out checks and give to law office. These checks are needed to file documents. This is not included in the legal fee. [Note- After the Complaint is typed, there is a minimum $50.00 additional charge for each change not set forth in the Questionnaire filled out by clients at the initial consult. The Complaint needs to be signed within 21 days of initial consult or additional fee will be charged. There is an additional $50.00 charge for canceled, rescheduled, or missed signing appointments. The fee paid is non refundable.
New Jersey Rules and statute have set up a detailed procedure for someone to legally change their first name, last name or both. Using an experienced attorney, you can have a new name approved by the Superior Court with only one court appearance. Sections 2A:52-1 et seq. of the New Jersey Statutes, and Rule 4:72 of the New Jersey Court Rules set forth certain legal requirements your attorney most follow.
FILING THE COMPLAINT The complaint must be signed by the applicant in front of their attorney. Your attorney will prepare a Order Fixing Hearing for Name Change. The complaint and Order are filed in the Superior Court. The Order will be signed by the Judge setting forth the date to come to court and other legal requirements, such as publication and notice. Your attorney will submit the Order for Hearing to be published in a newspaper of general readership, such as the Home News Tribune. Proof of publication must be filed with the court. A proposed Judgment for Name Change is forwarded to the Judge to be signed if the approved.
HEARING AND JUDGMENT FOR NAME CHANGE On the date selected by the Court the matter will be opened to the Court on the Complaint of the Plaintiff, the plaintiff having appeared by their attorney seeking a judgment allowing him/her to assume the new name. Following questioning of the applicant and it appearing from the Verified Complaint that the plaintiff complied with the requirements of the statute in such case made and provided, and it further appearing that after notice of the hearing was duly published, no reasonable objections were made thereto, and for good cause appearing, the Court should approve the name change. However, the work by your attorney is still not done. The Judgment for Name Change must be signed the Judge. Your attorney shall cause to be published in the Home News & Tribune or another newspaper a copy of the Judgment; Within 20 days after the entry of the Judgment, your attorney will cause to be filed a certified copy of the judgment, together with an affidavit of publication, with the Clerk of Middlesex County, as well as the Secretary of the State of New Jersey, pursuant to the statute and rules. The Applicant should forward copies of the Courts Judgment for Name Change to change their name on legal documents and identification such as Drivers License, Social Security Card and birth certificate.
After the court signs the Final Judgment. You will need to do the following: STEP 15: Order Two Certified Copies With a Raised Seal of the Final Judgment. You will need a certified copy with a raised seal of the Final Judgment to be sent to both the Department of Treasury (Step 16) and the Registrar of Vital Statistics (Step 17). You must also present a certified copy of the Final Judgment in person at any Motor Vehicle Agency or Regional Service Center (Step 18). The fee for a certified copy with a raised seal is $25.00.
STEP 16: Send a copy of the certified Final Judgment to the Department of Treasury. You must send a certified copy with a raised seal of the Final Judgment to the Department of Treasury within 45 days after the date of the Judgment. You must include a check or money order payable to the Treasurer, State of New Jersey in the amount of $50. Mail the certified copy of the Final Judgment with the check or money order and a stamped self-addressed envelope to: Department of Treasury Division of Revenue Judgment Name Change Unit P. O. Box 453 Trenton, NJ 08646
STEP 17: Notify the Registrar of Vital Statistics of the State. You must send a certified copy with a raised seal of the Final Judgment to the Registrar of Vital Statistics of the State in which you were born. The Office of the Registrar is located in the capital city of the State in which you were born. Check to see if the office requires a fee. If you were born in New Jersey, the address for this office is: Bureau of Vital Statistics Attn: Vital Records Modifications Unit P. O. Box 370 Trenton, NJ 08625 In New Jersey there is a $2.00 fee to process the legal name change. There is also a $25.00 fee if you want to receive a corrected birth certificate. Checks or money orders should be made payable to the Treasurer, State of New Jersey. There is a $2.00 fee for each additional copy of the birth certificate.
STEP 18: Notify the Motor Vehicles Commission. If you are a licensed driver, a registered owner of a vehicle, or possesses a handicapped or non-driver identification card, you must present the Final Judgment in person at any Motor Vehicle Agency or Regional Service Center within two weeks of the date of the Final Judgment. Additional information is available at njmvc.gov regarding the list of acceptable documents to satisfy the 6 points of
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Tuesday, November 3, 2020
Name Change in New Jersey
