Name Changes in Florida

You may have many reasons for wanting to change your name. Maybe you want to honor a loved one. Maybe you have rethought your decision on your name after a proceeding for divorce or adoption. Or maybe you simply do not like your name. Whatever the reason, subject to narrow legal exceptions, The Law Firm of Adam B. Cordover, P.A., will guide you through the process of legally changing your name.

Eligibility for Name Change

The following individuals may seek a change of name: (i) an adult; (ii) an adult on behalf of a minor child; and (iii) an adult on behalf of a family. Each adult seeking a name change must submit his or her fingerprints for a state and national criminal history records check. Once a petition for change of name is filed, the request will often be granted unless a Court finds that (i) the petitioner has ulterior or illegal motives in seeking the name change, (ii) the petitioner's civil rights are suspended, or (iii) granting the name change will invade the property rights (e.g., intellectual property rights) of others.

Swift and Cost Effective Solution for a Name Change

At the Law Firm of Adam B. Cordover, P.A., we will work with you to change your legal name as swiftly and cost-effectively as possible. We understand that your time is valuable, and you do not want to be bogged down in the paperwork associated with a name change. Further, we understand that you do not have unlimited funds to devote to your name change. Accordingly, we will develop a specifically tailored plan to fit your name change needs.

To schedule a consultation or learn more about The Law Firm of Adam B. Cordover, P.A., call us at 813.443.0615 or visit us online at www.abcfamilylaw.com.

A Name Change Law Firm in Tampa Bay

Located in Downtown Tampa at the intersection of North Florida Avenue and East Madison Street, we practice throughout the Tampa Bay area, including in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Polk, Hernando, Sarasota, and Manatee counties. Our address is 412 East Madison Street, Suite 824, Tampa, Florida 33602.

In commemoration of the role that the social networking site played in the recent upheaval in Egypt, a man has named his newborn baby girl "Facebook." According to a translation by TechCrunch.com, the following announcement appeared in Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram:

"A New Day

Man Names His Newborn Girl Facebook

A young man in his twenties wanted to express his gratitude about the victories the youth of 25th of January have achieved and chose to express it in the form of naming his firstborn girl "Facebook" Jamal Ibrahim (his name.) The girl's family, friends, and neighbors in the Ibrahimya region gathered around the new born to express their continuing support for the revolution that started on Facebook. 'Facebook' received many gifts from the youth who were overjoyed by her arrival and the new name. A name [Facebook] that shocked the entire world."

Naming your child "Facebook" at birth in Egypt is one thing. But could you legally change your name (or your child's name) to "Facebook?"

In Florida, the answer is that you probably could not.

Name changes are governed by section 68.07, Florida Statutes. According to this law, a court should not grant a request for a name change if the new name will "in any manner invade the property rights of others, whether partnership, patent, good will, privacy, trademark, or otherwise."

As Facebook has intellectual property rights on its name, a Florida court would likely consider the granting of a name change to "Facebook" as an invasion of those rights. For the same reason, a Court is unlikely to change a petitioner's legal name to "Publix" or "Coca-Cola."

If you want to know whether you are eligible for a change of name, feel free to contact The Law Firm of Adam B. Cordover, P.A., to set up a consultation. Call us at (813) 443-0615 or visit us online at www.abcfamilylaw.com

When a party files a petition for change of name, that party must swear under oath that his or her civil rights have never been suspended or, if civil rights have been suspended, they have subsequently been restored. This requirement is found in Section 68.07, Florida Statutes.

When are civil rights suspended? In general terms, civil rights are suspended when a person is convicted of a felony. Those lost rights include the right to vote, hold public office, or serve on a jury.

Florida, like most states, provides for a process of restoration of those rights. The person must apply to the Office of Executive Clemency. In determining whether to grant a restoration, the Executive Clemency Board will consider, among other things, the following:

-The nature of the offense;
-Whether the applicant has any history of mental instability, drug or alcohol abuse;
-Whether the applicant has a prior or subsequent criminal record, including traffic offenses;
-The applicant's employment;
-Whether the applicant is current or delinquent on child support requirements; and
-Letters submitted in support of, or opposition to, the grant of executive clemency.

As a petition for change of name will not be granted if the party's civil rights have been suspended without being restored, an application for restoration should be done well in advance of any petition.