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FAMILY CODE
SUBTITLE C. CHANGE OF NAME
CHAPTER 45. CHANGE OF NAME
SUBCHAPTER A. CHANGE OF NAME OF CHILD
§ 45.001. WHO MAY FILE; VENUE. A parent, managing
conservator, or guardian of a child may file a petition requesting a
change of name of the child in the county where the child resides.
Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 20,
§ 1, eff. April 20,
1995.
§ 45.002. REQUIREMENTS OF PETITION. (a) A petition to
change the name of a child must be verified and include:
(1) the present name and place of residence of the
child;
(2) the reason a change of name is requested;
(3) the full name requested for the child;
(4) whether the child is subject to the continuing
exclusive jurisdiction of a court under Chapter 155; and
(5) whether the child is subject to the registration
requirements of Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure.
(b) If the child is 10 years of age or older, the child's
written consent to the change of name must be attached to the
petition.
Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 20,
§ 1, eff. April 20,
1995; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1390,
§ 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999;
Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1300,
§ 5, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
§ 45.003. CITATION. (a) The following persons are
entitled to citation in a suit under this subchapter:
(1) a parent of the child whose parental rights have
not been terminated;
(2) any managing conservator of the child; and
(3) any guardian of the child.
(b) Citation must be issued and served in the same manner as
under Chapter 102.
Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 20,
§ 1, eff. April 20,
1995.
§ 45.004. ORDER. (a) The court may order the name of a
child changed if:
(1) the change is in the best interest of the child;
and
(2) for a child subject to the registration
requirements of Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure:
(A) the change is in the interest of the public;
and
(B) the person petitioning on behalf of the child
provides the court with proof that the child has notified the
appropriate local law enforcement authority of the proposed name
change.
(b) If the child is subject to the continuing jurisdiction
of a court under Chapter 155, the court shall send a copy of the
order to the central record file as provided in Chapter 108.
(c) In this section, "local law enforcement authority" has
the meaning assigned by Article 62.01, Code of Criminal Procedure.
Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 20,
§ 1, eff. April 20,
1995; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1300,
§ 6, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
§ 45.005. LIABILITIES AND RIGHTS UNAFFECTED. A change
of name does not:
(1) release a child from any liability incurred in the
child's previous name; or
(2) defeat any right the child had in the child's
previous name.
Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 20,
§ 1, eff. April 20,
1995.
SUBCHAPTER B. CHANGE OF NAME OF ADULT
§ 45.101. WHO MAY FILE; VENUE. An adult may file a
petition requesting a change of name in the county of the adult's
place of residence.
Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 20,
§ 1, eff. April 20,
1995.
§ 45.102. REQUIREMENTS OF PETITION. (a) A petition to
change the name of an adult must be verified and include:
(1) the present name and place of residence of the
petitioner;
(2) the full name requested for the petitioner;
(3) the reason the change in name is requested;
(4) whether the petitioner has been the subject of a
final felony conviction; and
Text of subd. (5) as amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1300,
§
7
(5) whether the petitioner is subject to the
registration requirements of Chapter 62, Code of Criminal
Procedure.
Text of subd. (5) as amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1003,
§
1
(5) a legible and complete set of the petitioner's
fingerprints on a fingerprint card format acceptable to the
Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of
Investigation.
(b) The petition must include each of the following or a
reasonable explanation why the required information is not
included:
(1) the petitioner's:
(A) full name;
(B) sex;
(C) race;
(D) date of birth;
(E) driver's license number for any driver's
license issued in the 10 years preceding the date of the petition;
(F) social security number; and
(G) assigned FBI number, state identification
number, if known, or any other reference number in a criminal
history record system that identifies the petitioner;
(2) any offense above the grade of Class C misdemeanor
for which the petitioner has been charged; and
(3) the case number and the court if a warrant was
issued or a charging instrument was filed or presented for an
offense listed in Subsection (b)(2).
Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 20,
§ 1, eff. April 20,
1995; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1003,
§ 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003;
Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1300,
§ 7, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
§ 45.103. ORDER. (a) The court shall order a change of
name under this subchapter for a person other than a person with a
final felony conviction or a person subject to the registration
requirements of Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure, if the
change is in the interest or to the benefit of the petitioner and in
the interest of the public.
(b) A court may order a change of name under this subchapter
for a person with a final felony conviction if, in addition to the
requirements of Subsection (a), the person has:
(1) received a certificate of discharge by the pardons
and paroles division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice or
completed a period of probation ordered by a court and not less than
two years have passed from the date of the receipt of discharge or
completion of probation; or
(2) been pardoned.
(c) A court may order a change of name under this subchapter
for a person subject to the registration requirements of Chapter
62, Code of Criminal Procedure, if, in addition to the requirements
of Subsection (a), the person provides the court with proof that the
person has notified the appropriate local law enforcement authority
of the proposed name change. In this subsection, "local law
enforcement authority" has the meaning assigned by Article 62.01,
Code of Criminal Procedure.
Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 20,
§ 1, eff. April 20,
1995; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1300,
§ 8, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
§ 45.104. LIABILITIES AND RIGHTS UNAFFECTED. A change
of name under this subchapter does not release a person from
liability incurred in that person's previous name or defeat any
right the person had in the person's previous name.
Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 20,
§ 1, eff. April 20,
1995.
§ 45.105. CHANGE OF NAME IN DIVORCE SUIT. (a) On the
final disposition of a suit for divorce, for annulment, or to
declare a marriage void, the court shall enter a decree changing the
name of a party specially praying for the change to a prior used
name unless the court states in the decree a reason for denying the
change of name. The court may not deny a change of name solely to
keep last names of family members the same.
(b) A person whose name is changed under this section may
apply for a change of name certificate from the clerk of the court
as provided by Section 45.106.
Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165,
§ 7.10(a), eff. Sept. 1,
1997.
§ 45.106. CHANGE OF NAME CERTIFICATE. (a) A person
whose name is changed under Section 6.706 or 45.105 may apply to the
clerk of the court ordering the name change for a change of name
certificate.
(b) A certificate under this section is a one-page document
that includes:
(1) the name of the person before the change of name
was ordered;
(2) the name to which the person's name was changed by
the court;
(3) the date on which the name change was made;
(4) the person's social security number and driver's
license number, if any;
(5) the name of the court in which the name change was
ordered; and
(6) the signature of the clerk of the court that issued
the certificate.
(c) An applicant for a certificate under this section shall
pay a $10 fee to the clerk of the court for issuance of the
certificate.
(d) A certificate under this section constitutes proof of
the change of name of the person named in the certificate.
Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165,
§ 7.10(a), eff. Sept. 1,
1997. Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 62,
§ 6.06, eff.
Sept. 1, 1999.
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