Many women still take their husband’s surname after marriage. In this modern society, some husbands take their wives’ surnames, and in some cases, the new couple creates a new name from both their surnames. In any case, when a couple decides to divorce, one partner may wish to change a surname back to one that was used before the marriage took place. A divorce court judge can be asked to restore a person’s former surname in most states including Connecticut.
The petitioner just needs to obtain a certified copy of the court order proving a former name has been restored. That copy can be used to change other identification like a driver’s license, credit cards and the like. If a divorce has been finalized and no name change via a court order was requested, the person wishing a name change could inquire if one could still be issued. If a judge signs such a request, that certified document could be used to change a name whenever the person wants the change to take effect.
If all else fails, a person can likely still succeed in getting a name changed back if he or she has documents with the former name on it like a birth certificate, passport or some other state document like an old driver’s license. In some locales, a person just has to revert back to using an old surname and request an update of all legal documents. It is easier to revert back to a former name than to adopt a new one entirely.
A Connecticut attorney who practices family law will be familiar with all the legalities surrounding name changes in divorce situations. An attorney can assist a client in making application to the courts for a name change and with filling out appropriate documents. He or she will be able to field all questions regarding the often confusing laws around divorce.
Source: findlaw.com, “Changing Your Name After Divorce“, Accessed on Oct. 20, 2017