Instructions

This packet includes all the forms necessary and the optional motion for exemption from publication. Every petitioner who is filing on behalf of a minor who does not have a felony conviction or been adjudicated a juvenile delinquent will must submit the following forms:

• JDF 421 – Petition: This is the document that initiates your case; basically, it is you asking the Court to order the name change of the minor child.

• JDF 426 – Order for Publication: ​​ This is the document the judge used to instruct you to publish the minor’s name change in the county’s legal newspaper

• JDF 427 – Public Notice of Petition for Change of Name: ​​ This is the document that you will, if required, provide to the newspaper as part of the publication requirement.

• JDF 448 – Final Decree for Change of Name: ​​ This is the end result. ​​ This signed document means that the minor’s name has been legally changed. Use this document to update the minor child’s records.

Depending on the minor child’s particular circumstances, you may need to file the following items

• FBI & CBI Background Checks: if the minor child is 14 years old or older, fingerprints and FBI & CBI background checks are required. We recommend using Colorado Fingerprinting, but you can find out more on CNCP’s website: ​​ www.namechangeproject.org ​​ Include the FBI and CBI results as Exhibit A to JDF 421.

• JDF 423 – Consent of Non-Custodial Parent: Use this form if the non-custodial parent agrees with the name change.

• JDF 422 – Notice to Non-Custodial Parent: Use this form if the non-custodial parent does not agree or is not able to sign JDF 423. If you do not know where the non-custodial parent is, mail this form via certified mail to the last known address and wait for the envelope to be returned “undeliverable

• JDF 425 – Notice to Non-Custodial Parent by Publication: Use this form if you do not know where the non-custodial parent is once JDF 422 has been returned as undeliverable. This will require the notice to be made via publication in your county’s legal newspaper before the hearing. If the non-custodial parent does not attend or respond, the judge may further order publication once the petition has been reviewed and before the name change is granted.

• Information regarding the minor child:

• The minor child is a resident of CO_County_of_Residence County, Colorado.

• I_We, Petitioner1_First_Name Petitioner1_Last_Name and Petitioner2_First_Name Petitioner2_Last_Name, wish to change the name of the minor child to Minors_New_Legal_First_Name Minors_New_Legal_Middle_Name Minors_New_Legal_Last_Name. My_Our relationship to the child is as Petitioner_Relationship.

• The proposed change would be proper and not detrimental to the interests of any other person and in the best interest of the minor child.

• The reason for the change of name is that the minor child name_change_reason.

• The child is Subject_of_Court_Order If so, please identify: Case_Number, Case_Type, and Court_Name.

• The minor child (if 14 years of age or older), has not 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 fingerprint-based criminal history record check for the minor child is attached as Exhibit A and is conducted within 90 days prior to the filing of this Petition.

• The required notice to the non-custodial parent has been accomplished by: Notice_Required

   

• Publication is not required pursuant to C.R.S. § 13-15-102(4).

I_We, Petitioner1_First_Name Petitioner1_Last_Name and Petitioner2_First_Name Petitioner2_Last_Name, swear/affirm under oath that I_We have read the foregoing Petition and that the statements contained in this Petition are true to the best of my_our knowledge and belief.

VERIFICATION

I declare under penalty of perjury under the law of Colorado that the foregoing is true and correct.

Executed on the ____ day of ____________, _______, at ___________________________________

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ (date)  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ (month)  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ (year)  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ (city and state OR country

______________________________________

Petitioner1_First_Name Petitioner1_Last_Name,
Petitioner

Subscribed and affirmed, or sworn to before me in the County of ______________________, State of _______________________, this ___________ day of _______________, 20 _______.

I declare under penalty of perjury under the law of Colorado that the foregoing is true and correct.

Executed on the ____ day of ____________, _______, at ___________________________________

 ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ (date)  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ (month)  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ (year)  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ (city and state OR country

_______________________________________

Petitioner2_First_Name Petitioner2_Last_Name,
Co-Petitioner

Subscribed and affirmed, or sworn to before me in the County of ______________________, State of _______________________, this ___________ day of _______________, 20 _______.

The Court having read and considered the Petition for Change of Name of Minor Child finds:

 ​​ That the statements made in the Petition satisfy the statutory requirements.

 ​​ That the desired change of name is proper and not detrimental to the interests of any other person.

 ​​ That the Petitioner has submitted the documentation required in §13-15-101(1)(b), C.R.S. from the fingerprint-based criminal history record check or has provided appropriate certified copies of any dispositions that would constitute a felony conviction in this state or any other state or under federal law.

 ​​ That the change of name is in the best interest of the minor child.

 ​​ Individuals over the age of fourteen (14), have submitted the documentation required in §13-15-101(1)(b), C.R.S. from the fingerprint-based criminal history record check or has provided appropriate certified copies of any dispositions that would constitute a felony if committed by an adult in this state or any other state or under federal law.

The Court orders the following publication for a change of name:

• Name of Minors_Current_Legal_First_Name Minors_Current_Legal_Middle_Name Minors_Current_Legal_Last_Name is requested to be changed to Minors_New_Legal_First_Name Minors_New_Legal_Middle_Name Minors_New_Legal_Last_Name.

• Pursuant to statute, public notice of this change of name shall be published three times in a legal newspaper published in this county. This publication is to be made within 21 days of the date of this Order.

• Proper proof of publication shall be filed with the Court upon final publication to receive a Final Decree for a Change of Name.

Date: ___________________________    _____________________________________

Judge  Magistrate

Public Notice is given on      ​​ (date) that a Petition for a Change of Name of a Minor Child has been filed with the CO_County_of_Residence court.

The Petition requests that the name of Minors_Current_Legal_First_Name Minors_Current_Legal_Middle_Name Minors_Current_Legal_Last_Name

be changed to Minors_New_Legal_First_Name Minors_New_Legal_Middle_Name Minors_New_Legal_Last_Name.

By ________________________________________
 ​​ ​​ ​​​​ Clerk of Court/Deputy Clerk

NEWSPAPER: ​​ PLEASE PUBLISH THIS NOTICE THREE TIMES WITHIN TWENTY-ONE DAYS OF THE DATE OF THE ORDER.

The Court having read and considered the Petition for Change of Name finds:

 ​​ That the statutory requirements for a change of name under §13-15-101, C.R.S. have been met;

 ​​ That the desired change of name is proper and not detrimental to the interests of any other person;

 ​​ That the change of name is in the best interest of the minor child; and

 ​​ That the Minor Child, being a child 14 years of age or older, has not been convicted of a felony or adjudicated 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 further finds that:

 ​​ Publication is not required, as the Petitioner has shown good cause why publication pursuant to §13-15-102, C.R.S. should not apply.

The Court Orders the following change of name:

​​ 

The name of ​​ Minors_Current_Legal_First_Name Minors_Current_Legal_Middle_Name Minors_Current_Legal_Last_Name born on Minors_Birthdate is changed to Minors_New_Legal_First_Name Minors_New_Legal_Middle_Name Minors_New_Legal_Last_Name.

Date: ___________________________    _____________________________________

Judge  Magistrate

​​ 

I certify that the Petitioner provided proper proof of publication or publication was not required. On  ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​​​ , the Final Decree for Change of Name is issued. (Publication is not required if the petitioner is changing the petitioner’s name to conform with the petitioner’s gender identity pursuant to §13-15-102(4), C.R.S.)

Date: ___________________________    _____________________________________

Clerk

• I, Non_Custodial_Parent_Name, am the non-custodial parent of the minor child.

• I understand that a Petition for the change of my child’s name will be presented to this Court.

• I understand that I have a right to participate in the hearing and to voice objection to the change of name.

• I give up any objection and consent to the change of name.

• I give up my right to be present at any hearing on this change of name.

_____________________________________________ 

Non_Custodial_Parent_Name’s Signature Non_Custodial_Parent_Address   Non_Custodial_Parent_Phone

​​ 

Notice to: Non_Custodial_Parent_Name, non-custodial parent.

Notice is given that a hearing is scheduled as follows:

   Date:  _____________________________________________

   Time:  _____________________________________________

   Location: _____________________________________________

     _____________________________________________

for the purpose of requesting a change of name for Minors_Current_Legal_First_Name Minors_Current_Legal_Middle_Name Minors_Current_Legal_Last_Name.

At this hearing, the court may enter an order changing the name of the minor child.

You may attend the hearing and participate or voice objection to the proposed change of name.

Date: ​​ __________________________   _____________________________________________

Petitioner1_First_Name Petitioner1_Last_Name

Street_Address, City State ZIP

Petitioner_1_Phone

CERTIFICATE OF MAILING

I certify that on ____________________________ (date), I placed in the United States mail, certified and postage prepaid, a copy of this Notice addressed to the Non-Custodial Parent:

Name: Non_Custodial_Parent_Name

Address: Non_Custodial_Parent_Address

____________________________________________

Petitioner1_First_Name Petitioner1_Last_Name

• The last known address of the non-custodial parent was: Non_Custodial_Parent_Address.

• The non-custodial parent no longer lives at that address.

• Reasonable effort was made to contact the non-custodial parent by certified mail at the last known address as follows: mailing a copy of the Notice to Non-Custodial Parent via certified mail.

• The certified letter was returned marked ____________________________. The return envelope is attached.

It is requested that the Court permit notice by publication on the non-custodial parent.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

 ​​ ​​​​ 

SIGNATURE

     ________________________________   ____________(date)
    Petitioner1_First_Name Petitioner1_Last_Name

PUBLICATION ORDER

It is ordered that notice by publication be permitted. Publication is to be made three times in a legal newspaper published in this county. This publication is to be made within 21 days of the date of this Order.

Date: __________________________________   ______________________________________

        Judge  ​​​​ Magistrate

Notice to: Non_Custodial_Parent_Name, non-custodial parent.

Notice is given that a hearing is scheduled as follows:

  Date:  __________________________________________

  Time:  __________________________________________

  Location: __________________________________________

for the purpose of requesting a change of name for Minors_Current_Legal_First_Name Minors_Current_Legal_Middle_Name Minors_Current_Legal_Last_Name.

At this hearing the Court may enter an order changing the name of the minor child.

To support or voice objection to the proposed name change, you must appear at the hearing.

Date: ___________________________   ___________________________________________

Petitioner1_First_Name Petitioner1_Last_Name

NEWSPAPER: ​​ PLEASE PUBLISH THIS NOTICE THREE TIMES WITHIN TWENTY-ONE DAYS OF THE DATE OF THE ORDER.