Name Change in Crawford County Probate Court

Crawford County Probate Court

112 East Mansfield Street, Suite 103, Bucyrus, OH 44820. Phone (419) 562-5876, fax (419) 563-1914. One judge presides over the Probate Division. Open Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.. Court website. Probate Division Local Rules (Rule 7 deposits).

Who this is for

• You are an adult who wants to legally change your name.
• You are a parent or guardian asking the court to change a minor child's name.
• Your legal name and the name you actually use don't match, and you need a court order to conform them.
• You need to align identity documents (Social Security, driver's license, passport) with a corrected legal name.
• You want to restore a former name outside of a divorce case.

What it costs — two ways to hire us

Limited scope, flat fee — Published flat fees

You hire us for a defined piece of the work — drafting and filing paperwork, a single hearing, a specific motion — at a fixed, published price. The court's filing fee is paid to the Clerk of Courts separately. Every flat fee is on our price list before you call. What each flat fee covers.

Full representation — $3,500 retainer to start

An attorney manages the whole case — strategy, filings, hearings, negotiation. The retainer is known before you sign and is a deposit against work, not the total cost; the total depends on how contested your case becomes. You watch every dollar of it in real time. How full representation is billed.

Is there financing? Yes.

Split any flat fee with Gavvl Direct, our in-house payment plan, on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly schedule. Affirm, Klarna, and PayPal Pay Later are also available through LawPay. See every financing option.

Real people, — with direct lines

• Stephanie Green — Managing Partner
• Elizabeth Warren — Managing Partner
• Niva Elgin — Senior Case Manager · Licensed New Mexico Attorney

Your consultation

Stephanie Green or Elizabeth Warren, our managing partners — or Niva Elgin, our senior case manager and a licensed New Mexico attorney. They've heard hundreds of situations like yours and will tell you plainly what you need, and what you don't. Meet the firm.

Your attorney

One of our Of Counsel Ohio family-law attorneys is your attorney for the case — from the first strategy call to the final order in Crawford County. You have their name and a direct line the day your file opens. Our attorneys.

Your case team

Niva Elgin keeps your case moving as Senior Case Manager. Madeline Wampler, Certified Paralegal, handles documents and scheduling. Erin Schultz, Finance Manager, handles billing and payment plans. Real people who answer when you call.

• 95+ five-star Google reviews
• 60+ years of combined Ohio family-law experience
• Super Lawyers Rising Stars honorees on the team: Elizabeth Warren (2021–2023) and Samantha Berkhofer (2019–2021)
• Every flat fee published before you call

From first call to retained, — and every step after

1. Consultation — A 30-minute phone call, $25. You talk with Stephanie Green, Elizabeth Warren, or Niva Elgin about what's happening and what Ohio law actually does with it. Before you hang up you'll know whether you need a lawyer at all — and if you do, you leave with a written quote: the service we recommend, the price, your financing options, and your next steps.
2. Choose — Pick the level of help. Pay, or set up financing. Limited-scope flat fee or full representation — you choose, with real numbers in front of you. Pay online, or secure a Gavvl Direct payment plan or third-party financing in a few minutes. Nothing is billed until you decide.
3. Sign — Your agreement arrives by email. Review the client agreement and sign it electronically — from your phone if you like. While you do, your attorney reviews your intake.
4. Get started — Your first attorney call goes on the calendar. Limited scope: your attorney's first call is scheduled from your intake. Full representation: a paralegal reaches out the same or next business day to open your file and gather what's needed, then schedules your first attorney call — and if something is urgent, you speak with the attorney first.

It's easier than ever to retain an excellent attorney.

How you'll stay updated — you never have to wonder

Every client gets GavvLink™, our client portal, on day one. Your whole case — messages, calendar, billing, status — lives in one place, and your team is a message away.

• Reach your attorney directly. Message, text, email, or call. Request a callback or book time on their calendar yourself — no waiting to hear back.
• Case calendar with reminders. Every hearing, deadline, and milestone, with a reminder before each one.
• Case status updates. See where your case stands and what happens next, updated as it moves.
• Payments and billing in real time. Every entry on your account as it posts, plus links to make a payment or add funds.
• Your case team, one message away. Full-representation clients message their paralegal and case manager the same way — and they answer.
• 24/7 receptionists and direct lines. Something urgent after hours? A live receptionist answers around the clock and reaches your team. You also have your attorney's direct line — and a way to reach the managing partners. We return calls and messages promptly.

Frequently asked questions

Which forms do I need for a name change in Crawford County?

Adult name change (21.0–21.1)

These are the Ohio standardized forms for an adult name change.

• Form 21.0 Application for Change of Name of Adult
• Form 21.01 Affidavit in Support of Application for Change of Name of Adult
• Form 21.1 Judgment Entry — Change of Name of Adult

Minor name change (21.2–21.4)

Minor cases add parental notice and consent forms.

• Form 21.2 Application for Change of Name of Minor
• Form 21.02 Affidavit in Support of Application for Change of Name of Minor
• Form 21.3 Judgment Entry — Change of Name of Minor
• Form 21.4 Consent to Change of Name

Hearing & notice

These set the hearing and give notice; name changes generally require published notice before the hearing.

• Form 21.03 Judgment Entry Setting Hearing and Ordering Notice
• Form 21.5 Notice of Hearing on Change of Name

Name conformity (21.7–21.13)

Use a conformity when your legal name and the name you actually use don't match and you need the court to align them.

• Form 21.7 Application to Conform Legal Name of Adult
• Form 21.07 Affidavit in Support of Application to Conform Legal Name of Adult
• Form 21.8 Judgment Entry Conforming Legal Name of Adult
• Form 21.9 Application to Conform Legal Name of Minor
• Form 21.09 Affidavit in Support of Application to Conform Legal Name of Minor
• Form 21.10 Judgment Entry Conforming Legal Name of Minor
• Form 21.11 Judgment Entry Setting Hearing and Ordering Notice (Conformity)
• Form 21.12 Notice of Hearing on Conforming Legal Name
• Form 21.13 Consent to Name Conformity

Privacy & background check

Use these to ask the court to waive publication and seal the file, or to authorize a required background check.

• Form 21.6 Application to Waive Publication Requirement and Seal File
• Form 21.6A Application to Waive Publication and Seal File
• Form 21.6B Application to Waive Publication and Seal File
• Form 21.14 Release for Criminal Background Check

The Crawford County Probate Court's Local Rules (Rule 7 — Deposits for Court Costs) set the deposit for an application for a name change (adult or minor). Published-notice costs and any attorney fees are separate. Confirm the current amount in the court's Local Rules or by calling (419) 562-5876 before you file.

How does a name change move through the Crawford County Probate Court, step by step?

1. Decide: name change or name conformity A name change changes the name on record (Forms 21.0 / 21.2). A name conformity aligns your legal name with the name you already use when the two don't match (Forms 21.7 / 21.9). Pick the right path first.
2. Complete the application and affidavit An adult uses Form 21.0 with the affidavit Form 21.01; a minor uses Form 21.2 with Form 21.02. For a conformity, use Form 21.7 (adult) or 21.9 (minor) with the matching affidavit.
3. For a minor, handle notice, consent, and any background check Minor cases require notice to the parents and may require consent (Form 21.4) and a criminal background check release (Form 21.14). Make sure each parent is properly served.
4. File your application and pay the deposit File your application and affidavit at the Crawford County Probate Court, 112 East Mansfield Street, Suite 103, Bucyrus, OH 44820, and pay the change-of-name deposit from the court's Local Rules. You must have lived in Crawford County for at least 60 days before applying.
5. The court sets a hearing and orders notice The court issues a judgment entry setting the hearing and ordering notice (Form 21.03 or, for a conformity, 21.11). Name changes generally require published notice at least 30 days before the hearing; you can ask the court to waive publication and seal the file for safety reasons (Forms 21.6 / 21.6A / 21.6B).
6. Attend the hearing and receive the judgment entry At the hearing the judge confirms the request is proper and signs the judgment entry (Form 21.1, 21.3, 21.8, or 21.10) — the order you use to update your records.

What should I know about the Crawford County Probate Court before I file?

• File at the Crawford County Probate Court, 112 East Mansfield Street, Suite 103, Bucyrus, OH 44820. The Probate Division is open Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; you can reach the Probate Clerk at (419) 562-5876 (fax (419) 563-1914).
• Crawford County uses the Supreme Court of Ohio's standardized probate forms — there is no separate county adoption packet posted online, so each form below links to its official Ohio PDF. Always download the current version before you file.
• The Probate Division has exclusive jurisdiction over adoptions (R.C. Chapter 3107) — it is separate from the Domestic Relations side of the Common Pleas Court that handles divorces. Bring adoption and name-change questions to the Probate Clerk at (419) 562-5876.
• Filing deposits are published in the court's Probate Division Local Rules (Rule 7 — Deposits for Court Costs), which set separate deposits for an adoption, an adoption placement, and a name change (adult or minor). Confirm the current figure with the Probate Clerk before you file.

Where do I file a name change in Crawford County?

Name-change cases are filed in the Crawford County Probate Court at 112 East Mansfield Street, Suite 103, Bucyrus, OH 44820. The office is open Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., and you can reach the Probate Clerk at (419) 562-5876.

How much does a name change cost in Crawford County?

The court's Local Rules (Rule 7) set the deposit for an application for a name change (adult or minor). Published-notice costs and any attorney fees are separate. Confirm the current amount in the court's Local Rules or by calling (419) 562-5876.

What is the difference between a name change and a name conformity?

A name change changes the name on record — you ask the court to give you a new legal name (Forms 21.0 / 21.2). A name conformity is used when your legal name and the name you already use don't match and you need the court to align the record with the name you actually use (Forms 21.7 / 21.9). Pick the path that fits your situation.

Can I change my child's name in Crawford County?

Yes. A parent or guardian files Form 21.2 (Application for Change of Name of Minor) with the affidavit Form 21.02. Both parents must receive notice, the court may require consent (Form 21.4) and a criminal background check release (Form 21.14), and the judge decides whether the change is in the child's best interest.

Do I have to live in Crawford County to file there?

Yes. Under Ohio law you apply in the probate court of the county where you live, and you must have been a resident for at least 60 days before applying. If you live in Crawford County, you file in the Crawford County Probate Court.

Do I have to publish a notice of my name change?

Usually, yes. When a hearing is set, Ohio law generally requires you to publish a notice of the name-change application in a local newspaper at least 30 days before the hearing, and you pay the newspaper's publication cost. If publication would put your safety at risk, you can ask the court to waive publication and seal the file (Forms 21.6 / 21.6A / 21.6B).

What should I bring when I file a name change?

Bring your completed application and affidavit, a photo ID, a copy of your birth certificate, proof that you have lived in Crawford County for at least 60 days, and payment for the filing deposit. Call the Probate Clerk at (419) 562-5876 first to confirm the current fee and whether any county-specific paperwork is required.