PART IV. CHANGE OF NAME

§4751. Petition for name change; adults; minors

A. The name of a person may be changed as provided in this Section.

B. Whenever any person who has attained the age of majority desires to change his name, he shall present a petition to the district court of the parish of his residence, the parish of his birth, or the parish of venue for the Vital Records Registry, or, in the case of a person incarcerated in a penal institution, to the district court of the parish in which he was sentenced, setting forth the reasons for the desired change.

C. If the person desiring such change is a minor or if the parents or parent or the tutor of the minor desire to change the name of the minor:

(1) The petition shall be signed by the father and mother of the minor or by the survivor in case one of them be dead.

(2) If one parent has been granted custody of the minor by a court of competent jurisdiction, the consent of the other parent is not necessary under either of the following circumstances:

(a) The parental rights of the other parent have been terminated.

(b) The other parent has been served with a copy of the petition and any of the following exists:

(i) The other parent has refused or failed to comply with a court order of support for a period of one year.

(ii) The other parent has failed to support the child for a period of three years after judgment awarding custody to the parent signing the petition.

(iii) The other parent is not paying support and has refused or failed to visit, communicate, or attempt to communicate with the child without just cause for a period of two years.

(3) In case the minor has no father or mother living, the petition shall be signed by the tutor or tutrix of the minor and in default of any tutor or tutrix, shall be signed by a special tutor appointed by the judge for that purpose.

(4) The petition may be signed by either the mother or the father acting alone if a child has been given a surname which is different from that authorized in R.S. 40:34.2.

D.(1) A person who has been convicted of a felony shall not be entitled to petition for a change of name under the provisions of this Section until his sentence has been satisfied. This Subsection shall apply whether the offender is actually imprisoned or on probation or parole.

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection or any other provision of law to the contrary, a person convicted of any felony enumerated in R.S. 14:2(B) shall not be entitled to petition for a change of name.

Amended by Acts 1972, No. 768, §4; Acts 1978, No. 455, §1; Acts 1986, No. 269, §1; Acts 1988, No. 421, §1; Acts 1991, No. 673, §1; Acts 1993, No. 740, §2; Acts 1995, No. 201, §1; Acts 1995, No. 493, §1; Acts 1999, No. 790, §2 ; Acts 2001, No. 555, §1; Acts 2003, No. 489, §1; Acts 2015, No. 51, §1.