Legal Question in Family Law in Illinois

Re: How do I change my last name to my mother's maiden name?

You file a petition for name change - filing fee depends on county - you publish in a newspaper with general circulation for approx 3 weeks - and you are done. It is not that difficult. But an attorney can help if you require assistance.

Re: How do I change my last name to my mother's maiden name?

Hello. I understand that you want to change your

last name to your mother's maiden name. This can

be done. In Illinois this can be accomplished by

filing a "Change Of Name Petition." There is a fee for doing this and if you are at least 18 years of age you generally must publish in a legal newspaper, such as the Chicago Law Bulletin, the specifics of your change of name petition. The Clerk of the Court will have a

fee for this type of petition and I recommend

getting an attorney to represent you, so there

will be a fee for the attorney. By the way, the

publication is to allow your creditors to have

notice that you are changing your name. This is

why publishing for children in a change of name

petition is generally not necessary. In my

career I have done quite a few name changes for

reasons similar to yours.