When: May 27, 2016
Time: 9am - 3pm
Where: Richard J. Daley Center
50 W. Washington Room 1202
On the last Friday of every month we hold a Name Change Mobilization where we help people file for a court ordered name change and apply for fee waivers if needed to cover the cost of the filing fees. The filing fees are close to $500.
At the Mobilization, volunteers will assist Cook County residents with filling out the documents required for a name change, and for those who are financially eligible,...
When: May 27, 2016
Time: 9am - 3pm
Where: Richard J. Daley Center
50 W. Washington Room 1202
On the last Friday of every month we hold a Name Change Mobilization where we help people file for a court ordered name change and apply for fee waivers if needed to cover the cost of the filing fees. The filing fees are close to $500.
At the Mobilization, volunteers will assist Cook County residents with filling out the documents required for a name change, and for those who are financially eligible, volunteers will assist participants in filing for a fee waiver. To receive assistance from TJLP at this event you must reside in Cook County and be a resident of Illinois for at least six months. On the day you file you will receive a court date for a hearing that will take place about 8 weeks from the date you file. At that time, while in front of a Judge your documents will be reviewed and the Judge will decide whether you meet all of the requirements for a name change.
ELIGIBILITY: You must reside in Cook County and you must be an Illinois resident for at least six months. There are certain criminal convictions that can bar someone from having their name changed, or which require a waiting period before a name change is allowed. If you have a criminal conviction, let us know what type of conviction(s) you have, and we can let you know if you are eligible for a name change in Illinois. If you are under 18, the process is slightly different and generally requires parental consent. If you are a minor we can discuss the process with you at the Mobilization, or you can ask for additional guidance by emailing namechange@tjlp.org.
WHAT TO BRING TO THE MOBILIZATION: All you need to bring with you on the day of the Mobilization is an ID and birth certificate if you have one. If you do not have either of these documents, we can assist you with information on how to acquire these documents when you arrive at The Daley Center. You will be able to file your name change without these identity documents, but you will need them for the day of your actually hearing.
IMPORTANT FEE WAIVER INFORMATION: The fees for changing your name in Cook County include a $359 filing fee, $165 publication fee, and $9 per certified copy of your name change order. All of these fees are waived if you are eligible for a fee waiver. If you would like to apply for a fee waiver you should bring proof of your income with you if you have it. You are likely eligible if you fall below 125% of the Federal Poverty Line (you earn less than approximately $14,850 in annual income for a single person household - see grid below for family households) or if you receive some sort of need based government benefit (SSI, SNAP, SSDI, TANF, etc). If you are on SSI or receive food stamps or any other need based government benefit, you should bring your most recent statement from the agency. If you are in school, you should bring proof of being in school including any financial aid forms (FAFSA, etc). If you are experiencing homelessness and have proof of that, you can bring that with you as well. Some folks are able to bring a letter verifying homelessness from a case manager, resource advocate, shelter worker, or physician. The court hears fee waiver applications from 10:30am-12pm and 2pm-4pm. For the morning session, arrive no later than 11:30am, and for the afternoon session arrive no later than 1pm to fill out paperwork, so we can proceed with afternoon fee waiver hearings at 2pm.
WHAT TO EXPECT ON THE DATE OF YOUR HEARING: On the date of your name change hearing you will need to have proof that you have been a resident of Illinois for at least six months, and you will have to prove that you currently live in Cook County. You can provide proof with an Illinois ID, utility bill with your address on it, bank statements with an Illinois address, a lease, etc. On the date of your hearing, a volunteer will be available to accompany you to your hearing, and to the DMV to get a new ID or driver's license. If you would like to get your gender marker changed on your ID or driver's license, you will need a letter from your doctor or therapist. If you need a sample letter to bring to your doctor, we can provide you with one.
You can reach us at namechange@tjlp.org if you have any questions.
NAME CHANGES FOR EVERYONE!!!!
In Solidarity!
The Name Change Mobilization Crew