(a) General rule.--The court of common pleas of any county may by order change the name of any person resident in the county.

(b) Procedure.--Prior to entry of an order of approval of change of name, all of the following shall apply:

(1) The court must forward to the Pennsylvania State Police a duplicate copy of the application for change of name and a set of the person's fingerprints. The person applying for the change of name is responsible for costs under this paragraph.

(2) The Pennsylvania State Police shall use the fingerprints to determine if the person is subject to 18 Pa.C.S. Ch. 91 (relating to criminal history record information).

(3) The Pennsylvania State Police shall:

(i) if the person is subject to 18 Pa.C.S. Ch. 91, note the name change on the person's criminal history record information; or

(ii) if the person is not subject to 18 Pa.C.S. Ch. 91, destroy the fingerprints.

(4) Within 60 days of receipt of the material under paragraph (1), the Pennsylvania State Police shall certify to the court what action has been taken under paragraph (3).

(5) The procedure in this subsection shall not apply to proceedings involving:

(i) An election to resume a prior surname pursuant to section 704 (relating to divorced person may resume prior name).

(ii) Name changes involving minor children in adoption proceedings.

(iii) A name change involving a minor child whose name is being changed pursuant to section 703 (relating to effect on children) or because of the change of name of the child's parent.

(c) Convicted felons.--

(1) The court may order a change of name for a person convicted of a felony, subject to provisions of paragraph (2), if:

(i) at least two calendar years have elapsed from the date of completion of a person's sentence and that person is not subject to the probation or parole jurisdiction of any court, county probation agency or the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole; or

(ii) the person has been pardoned.

(2) The court may not order a change of name for a person convicted of murder, voluntary manslaughter, rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, statutory sexual assault, sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, robbery as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 3701(a)(1)(i) (relating to robbery), aggravated assault as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 2702(a)(1) or (2) (relating to aggravated assault), arson as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 3301(a) (relating to arson and related offenses), kidnapping or robbery of a motor vehicle or criminal attempt, criminal conspiracy or criminal solicitation to commit any of the offenses listed above or an equivalent crime under the laws of this Commonwealth in effect at the time of the commission of that offense or an equivalent crime in another jurisdiction.

(3) The court shall notify the Office of Attorney General, the Pennsylvania State Police and the office of the district attorney of the county in which the person resides when a change of name for a person convicted of a felony has been ordered. The Pennsylvania State Police, upon receipt of this notice, shall include the change of name information in the central repository as provided for in 18 Pa.C.S. Ch. 91.

(June 18, 1998, P.L.638, No.83, eff. 60 days; June 22, 2000, P.L.356, No.43, eff. 60 days; Nov. 30, 2004, P.L.1684, No.214, eff. 60 days)

2004 Amendment. Act 214 amended subsec. (b).

1998 Partial Repeal. Section 13 of Act 127 provided that subsection (b) is repealed insofar as it is inconsistent with Act 127.

Cross References. Section 702 is referred to in sections 701, 703 of this title; section 5105 of Title 23 (Domestic Relations).