How to Change Your Name in Trenton, New Jersey

Changing your name in Trenton, New Jersey, requires you to follow the procedures and rules as established by the State of New Jersey and its court system. Legally changing your name requires you to initiate a proceeding in New Jersey state court. You may, however, start using your new name without an official change. Nevertheless, your new name will not appear on your official records until the change is made by the courts.

• 1

  Fill out the Civil Case Information Statement, which contains information such as your name, address and the purpose of your case. The Civil Case Information Statement is available at the New Jersey Judiciary's website. (See Resources link.)

• 2

  Fill out a Verified Complaint for Name Change and Certification. The Verified Complaint for Name Change and Certification is available at the New Jersey Judiciary's website. (See Resources link.) On this form, write down your old and new names, and note whether you have been convicted of a crime or have criminal charges pending against you. In the certification, you swear that all of the information in the Verified Complaint is true.

• 3

  Fill out an Order Fixing Date of Hearing. The Order Fixing Date of Hearing is available at the New Jersey Judiciary's website. (See Resources link.) Write in your name, but leave the rest of the form blank for the court to fill out. A judge will review and complete the form. The court will establish a hearing date within 30 days of the Order. File the documents with the clerk of the court in Trenton. Pay the filing fee, which is $200 as of 2010.

• 4

  Send a copy of the signed Order Fixing Date of Hearing to a newspaper in Trenton for publication. The Order must be published at least once within two weeks prior to the hearing. The newspaper will provide you with an Affidavit of Publication to provide to the court to prove that you published the Order.

• 5

  Fill out the Form of Judgment form, which is available at the New Jersey Judiciary's website. (See Resources link.) Write in your name, date of birth, the case number and your Social Security number.

• 6

  Go to the court hearing in Trenton. Present the judge with the Form of Judgment form. The judge will check to see if anyone has filed any objections to the name change. If there are no objections, the judge will likely sign the Form of Judgment. Your name will legally change within 30 days of the judge's signature.