Name Change – Minor

The minor child must be a resident of Denver County, OR

If the child is under 19 years of age and is the subject of an action concerning child support, allocation of parental responsibilities, or parenting time, the Petition for Name Change must be filed in the District Court that has jurisdiction.

The Parent/Petitioner must be 18 years or older

The minor child, if 14 years or older, must NOT have been adjudicated as a juvenile delinquent for an offense that would constitute a felony if committed by an adult in this state or any other state or under federal law.

The Court will NOT consider a petition for a name change for a minor 14 years or older, unless a fingerprint-based criminal history record check is conducted within 90 days prior to the filing of the Petition.

Unless the Court has ordered that publication is NOT required, proof of publication must be completed and submitted to the Court prior to the name change being officially granted.

A hearing will be scheduled in no less than 2 weeks from the date of filing, on a Friday at 10:00 a.m.

For additional information, please review Colorado Revised Statues §13-15-101 – 102 C.R.S.

STEPS TO FILING YOUR CASE

Complete the required fingerprint-based criminal history check. If the minor child is 14 years or older, you must submit a criminal history check from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) at the time the Petition is filed. Please follow these steps:

1. Contact the Denver Police Department or Colorado Correctional Industries (CCI) to be fingerprinted.
   • Fingerprint cards (you will need 2 cards) may be obtained at: CCI/State Forms Center, 4999 Oakland, Denver, CO 80239.
   • In the upper left hand corner of the card you will see a box labeled “Reason Fingerprinted”; complete the box with “§13-15-101 Legal Name Change”. It is important that the CBI and FBI know that the criminal history check is for a legal name change. Please write your name, home address, and date of birth clearly on the fingerprint card. If the agency completing the fingerprints uses an electronic print system, please do not write on the cards as the agency will automatically input the information.
2. You are responsible for mailing or hand-delivering the completed fingerprint cards to the CBI and FBI. Allow up to 13 weeks to process the criminal history check from the FBI. It can take 4 weeks to receive your criminal history check back for the CBI. The criminal history results must be conducted within 90 days prior to the filing of the Petition.  For this reason, it is best to mail your FBI fingerprint card, wait 7 – 9 weeks, and then mail or hand-deliver your CBI fingerprint card. You will be provided with a full report from both agencies.
3. The FBI requires an Applicant Information form to be submitted with the fingerprint card. This form, along with additional information on FBI requests, can be obtained at the following link: www.fbi.gov
4. Mail a completed fingerprint card and Applicant Information form, along with a certified check or money order to the FBI at:  Criminal Justice Inforamtion Services (CJIS) Division, Attn:  SCU, Mod. D-2, 1000 Custer Hollow Road, Clarksburg, WV 26306.  Do not fold the fingerprint card.
5. Mail or hand-deliver a completed fingerprint card, along with a money order to the CBI at:  Colorado Bureau of Investigation, 6900 Kipling #3000, Denver, CO 80215.  Do not fold the fingerprint card. If you hand-deliver the fingerprint card, you may also pay by cash.
6. If the minor child has an adjudication that would constitute a felony in Colorado or any other state, and you know that it is inaccurate, it is your responsibility to obtain the disposition information from the court where such action occurred as identified in the CBI and FBI reports.
7. The Parent/Petitioner is also responsible for providing certified copies of any criminal dispositions of the minor child that are not reflected in the CBI or FBI records and any other dispositions which are unknown, by contacting the agency where such actions occurred.

Complete the Appropriate Forms

You may need all or some of these forms. Read instructions carefully to determine what forms you may need. The caption portion of each form must be completed (parent/petitioner name, full legal name of minor child and proposed name change).

• Petition for Change of Name of Minor Child   
  • Complete all sections of this form.
  • If the child is under 19 and is the subject of a support, allocation of parental responsibilities, or parenting time action, please check the appropriate box and identify the case number, type of case and name of court.
  • If applicable attach the FBI and CBI criminal history record results to the Petition and identify as Exhibit A. Make sure that the fingerprint-based criminal history record checks are conducted within 90 days prior to the filing of the Petition.
  • Attach any other criminal disposition documentation and identify as Exhibit B.
  • This Petition must be signed by the parent/petitioner in the presence of a court Clerk or Notary Public.

Consent and Notice Forms – If the non-custodial parent is deceased, then the parent/petitioner should provide a death certificate.

• Consent of Non-Custodial Parent   
  • The non-custodial parent may complete this form and consent to the change of name of the minor child.
  • This form must be signed by the non-custodial parent in the presence of a Court Clerk or Notary Public.
• Notice to Non-Custodial Parent   
  • Proof of Notice of Hearing sent by certified mail with the attached return receipt signed by the addressee only (non-custodial parent) must be filed with the Court at least 14 days prior to the hearing.
  • The non-custodial parent must be advised of the date, time and location of the hearing and right to appear.
• Request to Publish Notice to Non-Custodial Parent and Publication Order    and Notice to Non-Custodial Parent by Publication   
  • If the location of the non-custodial parent is unknown, you may ask the Court to order publication of the notice in the newspaper.
  • Publication is to be made once weekly for five successive weeks from the date of the Order.
• Order for Publication for Change of Name   
  • Complete all sections of this form.
  • The Judge or Magistrate will sign the Order for Publication at the time of the hearing.
• Public Notice   
  • Complete all sections of this form.
  • This is the form that you will submit to the local newspaper to publish notice of the requested name change.
• Final Decree for Change of Name   
  • Complete caption only.
  • The Judge or Magistrate will sign the Decree.
  • This form will be returned to you only upon proof of publication.

File Your Petition With the Court

A Petition for a change of name must be filed in the county where the minor resides, unless the child is the subject of a child support or allocation of parental responsibilities (decision-making and parenting time) action. If this situation applies to you, the Petition must be filed in the District Court where the child support or allocation of parental responsibilities action exists.

1. Provide the Court with the completed documents
2. If the Petition has not been signed in the presence of a Notary Public, you will sign the Petition before the Clerk at this time.
3. Keep a copy of each form for your own records.
4. Pay a NONREFUNDABLE filing fee.

Appear for Hearing

• It is important that you are on time or early for your Court Hearing and that you have all of your information with you.
• Please turn off you cell phone and respect all parties in the courtroom.
• Courtroom Requirements

1. Petitioner/both parents MUST be present at the hearing (Unless only one parent is listed on the Birth Certificate, or there is a Non-Custodial Parent)
2. Petitioner/parents MUST have a Birth Certificate for the minor child.
3. Petitioner/both parents MUST have valid, Government-issued, picture identification.
4. When a non-custodial parent is involved, petitioner/parent(s) MUST have either a Notarized Written Consent, Proof of Notice by Certified Mail or Proof of Notice by Publication.

• You may be asked questions about your request for a name change.

Publish Proposed Name Change

After the Order for Publication is entered, the change of name must be published at least three times within 21 days from the date of the publication order in a newspaper by using the Public Notice form, unless pursuant to §13-15-102, C.R.S., the minor child has been:

• The victim of a crime, the underlying factual basis of which has been found by the Court; to include an act of domestic violence as defined in §18-6-800.3(1), C.R.S.; or
• The victim of child abuse as defined in §18-6-401, C.R.S., or
• The victim of domestic abuse as defined in §13-14-101(2), C.R.S.

Obtain a Copy of the Decree From the Court

• Once proof of publication is submitted to the Court, you will receive 2 certified copies of your Decree.
• If publication is not required pursuant to §13-15-102, C.R.S., you will receive 2 certified copies of your Decree once ordered by the Court.
• Additional copies may be obtained once the appropriate fees are paid.

If you do not understand this information, please contact an attorney.

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