Can you change first names too, or does the law only apply to last names?
Yes, it applies to both first and last names. Although parents more commonly are disputing the child’s last name, the law equally applies to first names and uses the same standards.
That was the issue in Munguia v. Ornelas, 253 Ariz. 549 (App. 2022), where the Father asked for the child’s first names to also include the Father’s requested first name. The TrialA court hearing in which evidence and testimony are taken, and the Court makes a final determination of the issues raised in a petition. Trials and evidentiary hearings are somewhat synonymous, but the difference is one of scope: Evidentiary hearings are more limited in scope…Read more about Trial court granted his request, and Mother appealed. The Arizona Court of AppealsThis is the Court that hears appeals and special actions from the decisions made by the superior court. A panel of three judges reviews each appeal and issues a ruling. The Arizona Supreme Court is the only state court higher than the Court of Appeals.Read more about Court of Appeals held that the Pizziconi factors apply to both first and last names, analyzed those factors, and then upheld the trial court’s order.
