§ 19-12-4.Name change with fraudulent intent not authorized
Chapter 12. Name Change · Last amended 1961 · Last verified October 9, 2026
Full Text of § 19-12-4
Plain-English Summary
This one-sentence section sets the outer limit of Georgia’s name-change law. Nothing in Chapter 12 authorizes a person to change his or her name with a view to fraudulently depriving another person of any right under the law. In other words, the name-change process exists to let people take a new name for legitimate reasons, not to help them escape obligations they owe to others.
The section fits with the petition requirements in § 19-12-1, which demand that the petition set out fully and particularly the reasons for the change and be verified by the petitioner. Those stated reasons, the published notice and the chance for interested or affected parties to object under § 19-12-2 all give the court and the public a way to spot a change aimed at fraud. A creditor, a former spouse owed support, or someone holding a judgment could be an affected party.
The section doesn’t list examples or set a separate procedure. Whether a requested change is fraudulent is a question for the judge in each case. The section dates from 1961 and hasn’t been amended since.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Georgia court deny a name change?
Yes. This section says the name-change chapter never authorizes a change made to fraudulently deprive another person of a legal right. A judge who finds that purpose has no authority under the chapter to grant the petition. Objections from interested parties under § 19-12-2 also lead to a hearing where the judge decides.
Can I change my name to avoid debt in Georgia?
No. The chapter does not authorize a name change made with a view to fraudulently deprive another person of a right under the law. A creditor’s right to collect is a legal right, and the chapter gives a judge no authority to approve a change aimed at defeating it.
Why does a Georgia name change petition ask for my reasons?
Section 19-12-1 requires the petition to set out fully and particularly why the change is requested, and the petitioner must verify it. Those reasons let the court see whether the change is legitimate. This section confirms the court has no authority under the chapter to approve a change meant to fraudulently deprive someone of a legal right.
Can someone with a criminal record change their name in Georgia?
This section doesn’t bar it. It forbids only a change made with a view to fraudulently deprive another person of a right under the law. Whether a particular change crosses that line is up to the judge, who reviews the stated reasons and any objections filed under § 19-12-2.
Does changing my name cancel what I owe a former spouse in Georgia?
No. The name-change chapter can’t be used to fraudulently deprive anyone of a right under the law, and a former spouse’s right to court-ordered support or property is such a right. The chapter gives a judge no authority to approve a change aimed at defeating it, and a former spouse can object under § 19-12-2.
Amendment History
Laws 1961, p. 129, § 3.
Formerly Code 1933, § 79-503.