What you get
- An editable Word document, drafted from your answers and the state's official text.
- A proof of sources: every citation in the draft with the words it quotes, the official source, the date the text was saved and its fingerprint.
- Notes for counsel listing each point marked [VERIFY], each blank and each choice left for the client.
- It is filed with a court, so the notes include filing reminders for the court's own rules.
What the intake asks
Plain questions, in the order an attorney would take the facts. Anything left blank stays a marked blank in the draft; nothing is invented to fill it.
The petitioner
- Petitioner's current full legal name
- Requested new name
- Personal details
- Reason for the change
Disclosures
- History the court asks about
- Debts and obligations
- Notice
- Grounds for waiver or sealing
Filing
- Court and county
- Signing attorney
- Other instructions or open decisions
Where it is offered
Every state Lawsmith has official sources for:
CaliforniaConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaMarylandMassachusettsNew JerseyNew YorkOhioPennsylvaniaTexasVirginia
Official sources on file
The drafter works from the texts Lawsmith has saved for this document in the state you choose, plus federal law where it applies. Each is read from the official publisher and dated.
| State | Sources for this document |
|---|---|
| California | 10 |
| Connecticut | 6 |
| Delaware | 6 |
| District of Columbia | 6 |
| Florida | 6 |
| Maryland | 6 |
| Massachusetts | 6 |
| New Jersey | 6 |
| New York | 8 |
| Ohio | 16 |
| Pennsylvania | 7 |
| Texas | 8 |
| Virginia | 6 |
Among them, for New Jersey:
- N.J.S.A. 2A:34-21. Surname
- N.J.S.A. 2A:52-1 Action for change of name
- N.J.S.A. 2A:52-2 Effect of judgment, copy to State Bureau of Identification
- N.J.S.A. 2A:52-3 Effect of change of name on actions or other proceedings
- N.J.S.A. 2A:52-4 Correction of record of birth or marriage
How the draft is checked
Before it writes, the drafter must quote the official text behind each citation. Lawsmith compares every quotation with the text on file, character for character; a citation with no checked quotation reaches you marked [VERIFY]. The draft still needs your review before it is signed, filed or sent. How citations are checked
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