GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2013
SESSION LAW 2013-42
SENATE BILL 369
AN ACT to CLARIFY CERTAIN NAME CHANGE REQUIREMENTS AND authorize a parent to apply for a name change for a minor child without consent of the other parent if the other parent has been convicted of certain criminal offenses against the minor child or a sibling of the minor child.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1. G.S. 101-2(d) reads as rewritten:
"(d)
An application to change the name of a minor child may be filed by the child's
parent or parents, guardian, guardian appointed under Article 6 of
Chapter 35A of the General Statutes, or guardian ad litem, litem
appointed under Rule 17 of the Rules of Civil Procedure, and this
application may be joined in the application for a change of name filed by the
parent or parents. Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit one
parent to make an application on behalf of a minor child without the consent of
the other parent if both parents are living; except that a minor who has
reached the age of 16 years, upon proper application to the clerk, may change
his or her name with the consent of the parent who has custody of the minor and
has supported the minor, without the necessity of obtaining the consent of the
other parent, when the clerk of court is satisfied that the other parent has
abandoned the minor. A change of parentage or the addition of information
relating to parentage on the birth certificate of any person is governed by
G.S. 130A-118. An application to change the name of a minor child may
not be filed without the consent of both parents if both parents are living,
unless one of the following applies:
(1) A minor who has reached the age of 16 may file an application to change his or her name with the consent of the parent who has custody of the minor and has supported the minor, without the necessity of obtaining the consent of the other parent, when the clerk of court is satisfied that the other parent has abandoned the minor.
(2) A parent may file an application on behalf of the minor without the consent of the other parent if the other parent has abandoned the minor child.
(3) A parent may file an application on behalf of the minor without the consent of the other parent if the other parent has been convicted of any of the following offenses against the minor or a sibling of the minor:
a. Felonious or misdemeanor child abuse.
b. Taking indecent liberties with a minor in violation of G.S. 14-202.1.
c. Rape or any other sex offense in violation of Article 7A of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes.
d. Incest in violation of G.S. 14-178.
e. Assault, communicating a threat, or any other crime of violence.
For purposes of subdivisions (1)
and (2) of this subsection, abandonment may be shown by filing The
consent of a parent who has abandoned a minor child is not required if a
copy of an order of a court of competent jurisdiction adjudicating that
parent's abandonment of the minor if filed with the clerk.minor.
If a court of competent jurisdiction has not declared the minor to be an
abandoned child, the clerk, on 10 days' written notice by registered or
certified mail, directed to the last known address of the parent alleged to have
abandoned the child, may determine whether the parent has abandoned the child.
If the parent denies that the parent abandoned the child, this issue of fact
shall be transferred and determined as provided in G.S. 1-301.2. If
abandonment is determined, the consent of the parent is not required. Upon
final determination of this issue of fact the proceeding shall be transferred
back to the special proceedings docket for further action by the clerk. A
parent who files an application on behalf of a minor pursuant to subdivision
(3) of this subsection shall submit proof of the other parent's conviction to
the clerk at the time of filing."
SECTION 2. G.S. 101-5 reads as rewritten:
"§ 101-5. Name change application requirements; grounds for clerk to order or deny name change; certificate and record.
(a) A person who desires to change his or her true name may apply to the clerk of superior court of the county where the person resides and must submit all of the following information to the clerk in support of the application for a name change:
(1) The applicant's true name, county of birth, date of birth, the full name of parents as shown on birth certificate, and the name sought to be adopted.
(2)
The certified results of an official a state and national
criminal history record check.check conducted within 90 days of the
date of application by the State Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, or a Channeler approved by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The requirements of this subdivision shall not apply to an application to
change the name of a minor less than 16 years of age.
(3) A sworn statement as to the following:
a. That the applicant is a bona fide resident of, and domiciled in, the county where the change of name is sought.
b. Whether or not the applicant has outstanding tax or child support obligations.
(b) The clerk shall instruct the applicant on the process for having fingerprints taken and submitted for the criminal history record check, including providing information on law enforcement agencies or acceptable service providers. The clerk may require the applicant to provide any other information that the clerk determines is reasonably necessary for the fair and complete review of the name change application.
(c) The clerk shall review all the information contained in the application and otherwise available to the clerk to determine whether there is good and sufficient reason to grant or to deny the name change.
(d) Except as prohibited by G.S. 101-6(c), if the clerk finds that good and sufficient reasons exist for the change of name, and the applicant has met the requirements of subsection (a) of this section, it is the clerk's duty to issue an order changing the name of the applicant from that person's true name to the name sought to be adopted. The order shall contain all of the following:
(1) The true name, the county of birth, the date of birth, the full name of parents as shown on birth certificate, and the name sought to be adopted.
(2) The clerk's summary of the information reviewed in connection with the application.
The clerk shall issue to the applicant a certificate under the clerk's hand and seal of office, stating the change made in the applicant's name, and shall also record the application and order on the docket of special proceedings in his court.
(e) The clerk shall forward the order granting the name change to:
(1) The State Registrar of Vital Statistics on a form provided by the Registrar. If the applicant was born in North Carolina, the State Registrar shall note the change of name of the individual or individuals specified in the order on the birth certificate of that individual or those individuals and shall notify the register of deeds in the county of birth. If the applicant was born in another state of the United States, the State Registrar shall forward the notice of change of name to the registration office of the state of birth. If the name change is not a matter of public record pursuant to G.S. 101-2(c), the clerk shall notify the State Registrar; however, the State Registrar shall not notify the register of deeds in the applicant's county of birth or the registration office of the state of birth.
(2) The Division of Criminal Information at the State Bureau of Investigation, which shall update its records to show the name change.
(f)
If the clerk finds that good and sufficient reasons exist to deny the
applicant's request for a name change, it is the clerk's duty not to issue an
order changing the name of the applicant from that person's true name to the
name sought to be adopted. The order denying the name change shall state the
reasons for the denial. If the applicant desires to appeal the clerk's
decision, the applicant must petition the chief resident superior court
judge within 30 days of the date of the order denying the name change to
request a reconsideration of the application. The reconsideration decision of
the chief resident superior court judge is final and not subject to
appeal. An unsuccessful applicant on reconsideration is subject to a waiting
period of 12 months from the date of the adverse decision of the chief resident
superior court judge before the applicant may submit another name change
application. A successful applicant on reconsideration shall be granted the
name change by the clerk in like manner as prescribed by subsection (d) of this
section.
(g) Upon information obtained by the clerk of fraud or material misrepresentation in the application for a name change, the clerk on his or her own motion may set aside the order granting the name change after notice to the applicant and opportunity to be heard. If the clerk sets aside the name change order, the clerk shall notify the State Registrar of Vital Statistics and the Division of Criminal Information."
SECTION 3. This act becomes effective October 1, 2013, and applies to applications for name changes filed on or after that date.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 30th day of April, 2013.
s/ Daniel J. Forest
President of the Senate
s/ Thom Tillis
Speaker of the House of Representatives
s/ Pat McCrory
Governor
Approved 4:41 p.m. this 8th day of May, 2013