CHECKLIST – CONFORMING A LEGAL NAME OF A MINOR

Filing Fees
Court Costs: $100.00
* Additional costs may be incurred for certified mail service or publication

Requirements

An application to conform a legal name is a special proceeding separate from a name change. It is solely to correct misspellings, inconsistencies or errors on one or more official identity documents evidencing a person’s current legal name.

You may apply for a name conformity only if the minor has been a Fairfield County resident for the past 60 days.

The Process

The documents listed below must be prepared by the applicant or attorney, and submitted to the Court for filing, along with the filing fee. Once the documents have been approved for filing by the Court, the Court will do one of the following:

• If both natural parents’ consent is provided, the Court may dispense with a hearing and make a ruling on the application. Copies of the Judgment Entry will be mailed to the applicant upon approval.
• If both natural parents’ consent is not provided, the Court will set the application for a formal in-person hearing. The applicant will be required to appear. The non-consenting parent will be served with notice of the hearing.

All hearings are set approximately 6 weeks from the date of filing. The Court will issue a Judgment Entry Setting Hearing and Ordering Notice, directing how service on the non-consenting parent will be performed.

• If the non-consenting parent is to be served by certified mail, the Court will issue service;
• If the non-consenting parent will be served by publication, personal service, or other method of service pursuant to Civ. R. 73, the applicant will be responsible for taking the notice to a newspaper of general circulation in Fairfield County for publication or making arrangements for other service as directed pursuant to the Judgment Entry Setting Hearing and Ordering Notice. Proof of service must be filed with the Court at least 7 days prior to the hearing.

The Court reserves the right to require additional documentation be submitted to support the name conformity, require a criminal background check, or hold a formal hearing on the application.

Initial Filing

• ☐ Self-Representation Acknowledgment (Form 75.1) If applicable
  • This form must be filed if applicant is not represented by an attorney.
• ☐ Contact Information Form (Form 75.3)
• ☐ Application to Conform Legal Name of Minor (Form 21.9)
• ☐ Photocopies of the following documents for the minor are required to be submitted with the application:
  • Birth Certificate
  • Driver’s License/State ID Card (if any) (driver’s license number, issuance date and expiration date must be redacted)
  • Social Security Card (social security number must be redacted)
  • Passport (if any)
  • Any identity document relating to the application to conform legal name
• ☐ Affidavit in Support of Application to Conform Legal Name of Minor (Form 21.09)
  • This must be notarized by a Notary Public before being submitted for filing (Court staff cannot notarize documents)
• ☐ Judgment Entry Conforming Legal Name of Minor (Form 21.10)
  • If more than one document needs to be conformed, a separate Judgment Entry must be provided for each document
• ☐ Waiver of Notice of Hearing and Consent to Conform Legal Name of Minor (Form 21.12)
  • Both parents of the minor must sign this waiver to dispense with a hearing on the application

If the both parents’ consents are not provided with the application, the following must be filed:

• ☐ Judgment Entry Setting Hearing and Ordering Notice (Form 21.11)
• ☐ Notice of Hearing on Conforming Legal Name (Form 21.13)

If Requesting the Name Conformity to be Confidential

The law requires very specific criteria be met in order for someone to qualify for a confidential name conformity. The applicant must provide proof that it would jeopardize the applicant’s or minor’s personal safety to have the name conformity on the public record. Please refer to R.C. 2717.11 to determine if you meet the requirements.

In addition to the forms required for initial filing above, the documents listed below must also be submitted, along with any required attachments. The Judge will review all of the documents and make a determination as to whether it qualifies as a confidential name conformity. If so, the Court will contact the applicant or attorney to set a hearing, if determined necessary.

• ☐ Application to Waive Publication Requirement and Seal File (Form 21.6)