Name Change

The information contained on this web page is provided as a courtesy to members of the public and shall not be construed as legal advice. If you have questions, contact the Wisconsin Bar Association Lawyer Referral and Information Service 800-362-9082 for additional assistance.


Definitions

  • Petitioner / Petitioning Parent - the person seeking his/her name to be changed or parent seeking to have a child's name changed.
  • Non-Petitioning Parent - the parent not filing a name change petition for his/her child.
  • Petition - a written statement of facts by the Petitioner or Petitioning Parent asking the Court to change his/her name or a child's name.
  • Service of Process - a legal term used to describe the act of giving notice of a lawsuit or court hearing to another person.
  • Proof of Service - a document filed with the Court as evidence to show that legal documents were successfully delivered to the Non-Petitioning Parent. This is also termed as return of service or return of process.
  • Affidavit of Due Diligence / Non-Service - a sworn statement from the Sheriff's Department/Private process server proving reasonable efforts were made in attempting to personally serve the Non-Petitioning Parent.