Name Change
Name Change Checklist: Social Security, License, Passport & More
Name change checklist: the order to update Social Security, your license, and your passport, plus IRS, voting, USPS, and what does not need updating.
7 min read
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Name Change
Name Change After Marriage
Changing your name after marriage: which states let the marriage certificate do it, what it can and cannot change, and the SSA-DMV-passport update order.
6 min read
Name Change
Name Change After Divorce
Restoring a former name after divorce: the three ways states handle it, what to do if your decree is silent, and updating your documents afterward.
5 min read
Name Change
Montana Name Change Laws: How to Legally Change Your Name
How to change your name in Montana: district court petition, the $90 filing fee, 4-week publication rule, and the divorce and marriage rules.
6 min read
Name Change
Missouri Name Change Laws: How to Legally Change Your Name
How to legally change your name in Missouri: circuit court petition, no statewide fee, the Rule 95 minor process, and the sex offender restriction.
6 min read
Name Change
Mississippi Name Change Laws: Chancery Court and What Remains Unresolved
Mississippi's name-change statute sits behind a subscription code service. Here is what is confirmed about the chancery court process, and what is not.
4 min read
Name Change
Minnesota Name Change Laws: The Two-Witness Process Instead of Publication
Minnesota skips newspaper publication and instead requires an in-person appearance with two witnesses who can verify your identity. How it works.
4 min read
Name Change
Michigan Name Change Laws: Criminal-History Disclosure, Fees, and the MCL 711.1 Process
Michigan name-change law does not require fingerprinting. Petitioners disclose criminal history; courts may run a discretionary LEIN/ICHAT check.
5 min read
Name Change
Massachusetts Name Change Laws: Petitions Are Now Impounded by Default
As of November 25, 2025, Massachusetts name-change petitions are sealed by default and public notice is no longer required. Current law explained.
4 min read
Name Change
Maryland Name Change Laws: Rule 15-901 and the Circuit Court Petition
Maryland name changes go through Circuit Court under Maryland Rule 15-901, with a separate, simpler path to restore a name after divorce.
4 min read
Name Change
Maine Name Change Laws: Background Check Instead of Publication
Maine's Probate Court bars public notice of a name-change petition and instead runs a mandatory criminal-history check. Here is how it works.
4 min read
Name Change
Louisiana Name Change Laws: The District Attorney's Role in Your Petition
Louisiana name-change petitions must be served on the parish district attorney, a step no other state requires. Here is how the process works.
4 min read