How To Legally Change Your Name In California
NOTE: At the bottom of this page you’ll find links: To your court home page, where you can see their latest Notices related to the Coronavirus Pandemic; And, you can click on Case Access into your court case file, where you can see the most up to date activity posted by the court clerks for you.
June 16, 2020 UPDATE:
We are delighted to report that we are finally able to work with all the California Superior Courts again, some more fully than others still. The safety protocols continue to change in each court, as policy decisions are made for safety and functionality, and as adjustments are required due to conditions as they currently exist. There is universal good will at the courts, though the strain of safety, work, personal lives and backlogs are sorted out. We are continuing to file new cases, interact with court personnel and complete name change cases, statewide now. Masks and Social Distancing are required at the courts and some courts will be conducting hearings remotely until further notice. Some courts are insisting on personal appearances to complete the name change process. We expect further tweaking from the courts until they each have a new normal.
June 4, 2020 UPDATE:
As courts all over the state resume normalized operations (but with masks, etc.), we have gotten a little slower in our customer communications. We apologize. Customer emails and phone calls have tripled, due to the COVID-19 disruptions and, to a lesser extent, social unrest. Every courthouse in California had some degree of closure and disrupted processes and, as of today, one still is not communicating or operating at all for Name Change cases. We are modifying our systems in order to be able to provide customer updates more quickly and accurately. We are saddened by the losses of physical, mental and financial health, and to the lives of so many of us. Every day we’re work to make things happen and allow more people to smile more often. We hope you, and all of yours, stay smart and safe until this virus is hunted down and kept from derailing our plans, hopes, and lives. This past week, Californians, Americans and people of good will the world over have joined to help us all inch toward a more just American experience. And, we’re helping more and more Californians begin and complete their Legal Name Changes so it feels like things may be a lot better in the days ahead now. Plant your flag!
May 20, 2020 UPDATE:
This morning, one of our customers had an actual Hearing inside a courtroom! This used to be a very common, though joyous event. It was GRANTED. We’ve had many other Petitions Granted during the COVID-19 emergency, but they have been by unusual procedures (phone, mail, etc.). So, we see this morning’s Hearing, in a Northern California County, as another hopeful sign that our Name Change process is returning to an efficient and reasonably speedy process for our customers. We understand that San Diego and Orange County Courts are coming back online in the next few business days. There are a few Superior Courts around the state that still have not posted a Notice of a re-opening plan. We may be fully functional, statewide, in about 3 more weeks based on what we see emerging everyday now.
May 12, 2020 UPDATE:
We had another major court open back up this past week, Sacramento! While some courts have still not restarted processing, each day/each week some other courts open back up. So far, none of the courts that have re-opened processing operations have stopped anything after re-starting. So, there is a slow, careful re-opening of the Superior Court operations everywhere in California. Based on what we are experiencing daily, I would say that all the Courts will be processing by the end of May, 2020. And, most or all the courts will be re-opened to the public (with appropriate safety measures) by the end of June. In the optimistic words of The Postman, “Stuff is getting better”:)
April 30, 2020 UPDATE:
What a month! Everywhere in California…the United States, and the whole world.
To cap off this week and this month, today we had Petitions Granted without a Hearing for a child of a single parent and for an adult. On the other hand, we were advised that 2 other of our customers had their Hearings postponed by the court, one for the second time. More details are being posted by the courts up and down California, but some have yet to resume processing. Based on all the courts functioning a little more each day and week, and based upon all the Court and State Official Notices, we expect that the courts will all be resuming their processing duties this month. The courts will have it figured out how to have the public inside the courthouses again with adequate safety protections for their staff and everyone else quite soon. It remains a good time to start a name change Petition. People usually smile when their name change is Granted. But, right now, it’s somehow even better:) Bring on May!
April 20, 2020 UPDATE:
First, a piece of REALLY cool, good news:) One of our customers asked us to help her change her own name so she could put her name on her soon-to-be-born baby’s birth certificate the way she wanted (New Legal Name). She was due to deliver April 27. Getting it done that quickly was iffy before COVID-19. BUT….she got her Certified Decree Changing Name this past Friday, April 17!!! She’s thrilled and so are we. Otherwise, last week we continued to get some of our customers GRANTED without needing to go the courts, which remain closed to the public until May 1, while others had their approval Hearings postponed until June or even July. Most courts are functioning with us electronically, by mail and phone. But, some courts were closed for name change processing through last week. We’ll see what the new week brings.
April 12, 2020 UPDATE:
This past week we had more brand new cases accepted, filed and scheduled for Hearings in June. And, last week we had more courts approving Petitions WITHOUT requiring Appearance at the courthouse. Still, most Hearings scheduled last week were re-scheduled to June. No one knows how this will play out. But, it’s clear everyone is working hard to make sure people are safe and Name Changes can be done! Please see the links below to check your court and case status if you’re currently waiting for Approval.
April 6, 2020 UPDATE:
Courts up and down the state are working diligently on resuming court operations safely. Safety is everyone’s chief concern. This past week, and today so far, we have started cases, filed new cases, started and provided Proof of Publications, and had courts Grant Petitions. More courts are postponing Filing and Granting Petitions and Hearings than are processing them normally. However, each day we have another court becoming operational again. No courts, yet, are open to the public for regular business. BUT, we are still able to start cases in every county and court.
Toward the bottom of this page, we’ve set up links for you to see the current COVID-19 Notice posted by each superior court in California. AND, we’ve set up a link for you to see your case status with your Case Number. Your case number is featured in our REPORT, if you’re that far along. Or, we will be getting that to you once we have your case Conformed/Filed at your court.
March 30, 2020 UPDATE:
A piece of good news. This morning, we received notice and a new case of ours. We Filed it this morning. And the court Filed it this morning. So far, we only have this one instance. But, it’s a good development. This week, we expect to have a LOT of news from all the different courts about their plans to safety and operations during this time of the Coronavirus pandemic.
March 28, 2020, 8am
Name Change California During Emergency
Coronavirus, COVID-19 NOTICE/UPDATES
Notice About Us and Our Communications:
EZ Name Change is a small company, specializing in Legal Name Change for residents of California. During this health emergency, We are continuing to process new and existing customer services while following safety protocols. As of 3-20-20, Governor Newsom has ordered, in effect, that we work from home. For the time being, we are not allowing anyone in our offices and are working remotely from home whenever possible and until the health emergency ends. We have not stopped providing all Full Service Name Change assistance to Californians.
We are responding to, and updating, all customers in real time, but with some delay due to the large number of extra questions related to the virus situation. Our newspaper suppliers, financial and document processing facilitators, and post office operations are all fully functional. All of these places play a roll in successfully completing a Name Change Petition case. Starting about March 17, most California Courts have been operating with limited or no public access and staff. Many courts, however, are functioning now, except for public access. We are continuing to submit new cases for Filing. Some are being fully processed, some are waiting, in queue, for the court’s Filing operations to resume.
Meanwhile, existing cases have been getting completed (some without a Hearing) and postponed, depending on the court and the judge(s) within the court. Whenever court operations fully resume as to Name Change, our customers cases will already be in line to be among the first processed. According to court websites (see below), you can learn the up to the minute official operating policy AND the status of your cases 24/7, and these notices and posting are updated daily.
Many of the courts will have updated policies, based on updated safety considerations, nearly every week or even more often than that. We, and some of our customers, have been contacted by some courts where personnel are resuming and/or continuing processing and completion functions. We encourage you to check with us and/or your court’s website to stay up to date about how and when your case will be completed.
To Check the Current COVID-19 Notice at Superior Court
Each California County Superior Court is providing some public Notice of court operations, during this Coronavirus health emergency. You should find the notice on the Court’s website front page, with the list below:
Alameda http://www.alameda.courts.ca.gov/, Amador http://www.amadorcourt.org/, Butte https://www.buttecourt.ca.gov/, Calaveras http://www.calaveras.courts.ca.gov/,
Contra Costa http://www.cc-courts.org/, El Dorado http://www.eldoradocourt.org/,
Fresno http://www.fresno.courts.ca.gov/, Humboldt https://www.humboldt.courts.ca.gov/, Imperial http://www.imperial.courts.ca.gov/, Inyo http://www.inyocourt.ca.gov/,
Kern https://www.kern.courts.ca.gov/, Kings https://www.kings.courts.ca.gov/, Lassen http://www.lassencourt.ca.gov/,
Los Angeles LA Court, Madera http://madera.courts.ca.gov/, Marin https://www.marincourt.org/, Mariposa http://www.mariposacourt.org/, Mendocino https://www.mendocino.courts.ca.gov/, Merced https://www.mercedcourt.org/, Monterey https://www.monterey.courts.ca.gov/, Napa http://www.napa.courts.ca.gov/, Nevada http://nccourt.net/,
Orange https://www.occourts.org/, Placer http://www.placer.courts.ca.gov/,
Riverside https://www.riverside.courts.ca.gov/,
Sacramento https://www.saccourt.ca.gov/, San Benito http://www.sanbenito.courts.ca.gov/,
San Bernardino https://www.sb-court.org/,
San Diego http://www.sdcourt.ca.gov/portal/page?_pageid=55,1&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL,
San Francisco https://www.sfsuperiorcourt.org/, San Joaquin https://www.sjcourts.org/, San Luis Obispo https://www.slo.courts.ca.gov/, San Mateo https://www.sanmateocourt.org/, Santa Barbara https://www.sbcourts.org/,
Santa Clara http://www.scscourt.org/, Santa Cruz https://www.santacruzcourt.org/ (cut and paste this one for access), Shasta http://www.shastacourts.com/, Siskiyou http://www.siskiyou.courts.ca.gov/,
Solano https://www.solano.courts.ca.gov/,
Sonoma http://sonoma.courts.ca.gov/,
Stanislaus https://www.stanct.org/, Sutter https://www.suttercourts.com/, Tehama https://www.tehama.courts.ca.gov/, Tulare http://www.tularesuperiorcourt.ca.gov/ (cut and paste this one for access),
Ventura http://www.ventura.courts.ca.gov/, Yolo https://www.yolo.courts.ca.gov/ Yuba http://www.yubacourts.org/.
To Check the Status of Your Name Change Case
If you have an existing Name Change Petition case, you may receive notice from the court about your case, by phone, email or mail. Please let us know, if that happens, so we can provide information or documents as may be helpful. Whether or not you get notice from the court, you can check on your case 24/7, by accessing your case file electronically using these links and putting in your case number after getting to the “case lookup” or “case access” page (each court has different language):
Alameda http://www.alameda.courts.ca.gov/, Amador http://www.amadorcourt.org/, Butte (530) 532-7002 Phone only, Calaveras http://www.calaveras.courts.ca.gov/, Contra Costa http://www.cc-courts.org/, El Dorado http://www.eldoradocourt.org/,
Fresno http://www.fresno.courts.ca.gov/, Humboldt (707) 445-7256 Phone only, Imperial (760) 482-2200 Phone only, Inyo (760) 872-3038 Phone Only,
Kern https://www.kern.courts.ca.gov/, Kings (559) 582-1010 Phone only, Lassen http://www.lassencourt.ca.gov/,
Los Angeles LA Court, Madera http:(559) 416-5599 Phone Only, Marin https://www.marincourt.org/, Mariposa (209) 966-2005 Phone Only, Mendocino (707) 468-2090 Phone Only, Merced (209) 725-4111 Phone Only, Monterey https://www.monterey.courts.ca.gov/, Napa http://www.napa.courts.ca.gov/, Nevada http://nccourt.net/,
Orange https://www.occourts.org/, Placer http://www.placer.courts.ca.gov/,
Riverside https://www.riverside.courts.ca.gov/,
Sacramento https://www.saccourt.ca.gov/, San Benito 831) 636-4057 Phone Only,
San Bernardino https://www.sb-court.org/,
San Diego http://www.sdcourt.ca.gov/portal/page?_pageid=55,1&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL,
San Francisco https://www.sfsuperiorcourt.org/, San Joaquin https://www.sjcourts.org/, San Luis Obispo(805) 706-3600 Phone Only,
San Mateo https://www.sanmateocourt.org/, Santa Barbara https://www.sbcourts.org/ Phone Only, Multiple Courthouses
Santa Clara http://www.scscourt.org/, Santa Cruz https://www.santacruzcourt.org/, Shasta (530) 245-6789 Phone Only, Siskiyou http://www.siskiyou.courts.ca.gov/, Solano https://www.solano.courts.ca.gov/,
Sonoma http://sonoma.courts.ca.gov/, Stanislaus https://www.stanct.org/, Sutter https://www.suttercourts.com/ (cut and paste this one for access), Tehama (530) 527-3484 Phone Only, Tulare http://www.tularesuperiorcourt.ca.gov/,
Ventura http://www.ventura.courts.ca.gov/, Yolo https://www.yolo.courts.ca.gov/ Yuba http://www.yubacourts.org/.
If you have questions after finding the Court Notice or Case Access information, please let us know.
Above all, be smart and safe in this unusual time of the Coronavirus, COVID-19 epidemic.
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