Do you have a father who has done things that you are not exactly proud of? Do you have a parent who has gained notoriety in your community? Are the actions or reputation of a relative beginning to negatively impact you?
Well, according to a report in the Tampa Bay Times, Paul Manafort’s daughter decided to do something about it. Paul Manafort is the former campaign manager to President Trump who was convicted for tax and bank fraud and pleaded guilty to illegal lobbying on behalf of Ukrainian interest. Because of this and the spectacle it has caused, his daughter decided to legally change her last name.
And, you know what? In most cases, you, too, can change your legal name.
Required Petition for A Legal Name Change
Section 68.07 of the Florida Statutes lays out the requirements of a name change.
You must file a petition with the court that is signed under oath and includes, among other things, the following information:
- That you live in the county where you are petitioning for a name change;
- Whether you have ever gone through bankruptcy;
- Whether you have ever been arrested for or charged with a crime;
- Whether you have ever been required to register as a sexual predator or a sexual offender;
- Whether you have ever been successfully sued;
- That you are not seeking a name change for any illegal or ulterior purpose; and
- That your civil rights have never been suspended or, if they have, that your rights have been fully restored.
By the way, just because you have gone through bankruptcy, lost a lawsuit, or have been arrested does not necessarily prevent you from obtaining a name change.
Background Check for A Legal Name Change
You will also need to have your fingerprints electronically scanned for a background check. The check is conducted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and FBI to confirm that the information in your petition is correct.
Name Change Lawyer
Once you have filed your petition and completed the background check, in most counties you will need to go in front of a judge to complete the process. The judge swears you in, and you provide testimony and any evidence that is requested to prove up your petition.
Because the paperwork involved in the name change process can be onerous, and because most people do not have a lot of experience dealing with the court system, you should consider having a name change lawyer by your side throughout the process.
You may relate to Manafort’s daughter’s desire “to separate myself and my work from public perception that has nothing to do with the person that I am.”
We can help you do that.
Malcolm Little became Malcolm X. Cassius Clay became Muhammad Ali. Cat Stevens became Yusuf Islam. All three changed their names to reflect their Muslim identity and cultural beliefs.
