Section 47.1 Change of name of adult(a) An individual 18 years of age or older seeking to change his or her name shall file a petition in the court for the probate district in which the individual resides.(b) The petition shall be accompanied by: (1) an affidavit on a form published by the probate court administrator;(2) a copy of the petitioner's long-form birth certificate, unless the court accepts other evidence of the birth name of the petitioner; and(3) other information if required by the court.(c) The court shall send notice of the hearing on the petition to the petitioner and the petitioner's spouse, except that the court may excuse notice to the spouse if notice to the spouse might jeopardize the safety of the petitioner.(d) Unless otherwise directed by the court, the petitioner shall appear in court and present two forms of identification, including at least one form of photographic identification. The judge or clerk shall administer an oath or affirmation to the petitioner and each other person who will testify. (C.G.S. section 17a-540; Probate Court Rules, rule 8.)
Section 47.2 Change of name of minor(a) A petition to change the name of a minor may be initiated only by a next friend as petitioner. A parent or guardian of the minor or other person permitted by the court may act as next friend.(b) The petitioner shall file the petition in the court for the probate district in which the minor resides.(c) The petition shall be accompanied by:(1) an affidavit on a form published by the probate court administrator;(2) a copy of the minor's long-form birth certificate, unless the court accepts other evidence of the birth name of the minor; and(3) other information if required by the court.(d) The court shall send notice of the hearing on the petition to the:(2) parents of the minor, if not the petitioner;(3) guardian of the minor, if not the petitioner; and(4) minor, if 12 years of age or older.(e) The petitioner shall appear in court. The judge or clerk shall administer an oath or affirmation to the petitioner and each other person who will testify. (C.G.S. sections 45a-99, 46b-63 and 5211; Don v. Don, 142 Conn. 309, 114 A.2d 203 (1955); Shockley v. Okeke, 92 Conn. App. 76, 882 A.2d 1244 (2005), appeal dismissed, 280 Conn. 777, 912 A.2d 991 (2007).)
Section 47.3 Single petition for change of name for family(a) If petitions for change of name of spouses, parents or minor children of the same family living at the same residence are filed simultaneously, the court may treat the petitions as a single petition subject to one filing fee. The court shall issue a separate decree for each member of the family.(b) The court may charge a separate filing fee for a petition under subsection (a) if the court determines that it is necessary to hear the petitions separately. Section 47.4 Criminal background and sex offender and deadly weapon offender registry checks; notification to Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection(a) If the court has reason to believe that an individual seeking to change his or her name has a pending charge, conviction or other criminal record, the court shall obtain a criminal background check of the individual. The court may obtain a criminal background check of any individual seeking a change of name.(b) Ifan individual 18 years of age or older seeks to change his or her name, the court shall search the registries of sexual offenders and of offenders convicted of crimes with a deadly weapon. If the individual is a registered sex offender or registered offender convicted of a crime with a deadly weapon, the court shall proceed in accordance with C.G.S. section 45a-99.(c) If the court grants a change of name to a registered sex offender, a registered offender convicted of a crime with a deadly weapon, or any other individual whom the court knows to have a criminal record, the court shall send a copy of the decree to the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection and the police department for the town where the offense occurred. (C.G.S. sections 54-257 and 54-280a.)
Adopted November 7, 2012, effective 7/1/2013. Section 47.4 amended effective 7/1/2015; amended November 8, 2016, effective 7/1/2017.