§ 25-21,270.Change of name; authority of district court.

Article 21: Special Proceedings and Actions · Last amended 1871 · Last verified July 22, 2026

In one sentenceThis section gives Nebraska’s district courts authority to change the legal name of a person, and separately, the name of a town, village, or city, setting up the two name-change procedures the following sections spell out.

Full Text of § 25-21,270

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The district court shall have authority to change the names of persons, towns, villages and cities within this state.

Source

Laws 1871, p. 62; R.S.1913, § 5315; C.S.1922, § 4608; C.S.1929, § 61-101; R.S.1943, § 61-101; R.S.1943, (1996), § 61-101.

Plain-English Summary

Every legal name change in Nebraska starts here. Section 25-21,270 grants the district court authority over two very different kinds of name changes: an individual wanting to go by a new name, and a town, village, or city wanting to change what it calls itself. Both routes run through the same court, though the procedures that follow, in sections 25-21,271 and 25-21,272, differ because an individual’s petition and a municipality’s petition call for different proof.

This section itself sets no procedure. It answers the threshold question of which court has power to grant a name change at all, so a resident with a personal reason for a new name, and a town weighing a rebrand, both know where to file: the district court.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Nebraska court handles a legal name change?

The district court. Section 25-21,270 gives the district court authority to change the names of persons, towns, villages, and cities.

Can a town or village change its name the same way a person does?

Both go through the district court, but sections 25-21,271 and 25-21,272 set out separate procedures because an individual’s petition and a municipality’s petition require different showings.

Does this section explain how to file for a name change?

No. It establishes which court has authority; section 25-21,271 covers the procedure for an individual and section 25-21,272 covers towns, villages, and cities.

How old is this authority for Nebraska courts to grant name changes?

It traces back to an 1871 law and has been carried forward, with renumbering, into the current statute.

Do I need a lawyer to change my name in Nebraska?

The statute does not require one, though many people hire an attorney to prepare the petition and handle the notice and hearing requirements in section 25-21,271.

Source & verification. Section text and the amendment-history citation are reproduced verbatim from the Nebraska Legislature, Revisor of Statutes, enacted by the Nebraska Legislature. Last verified July 22, 2026. · Official source

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