CHAPTER 402

An Act to amend and reenact § 8-577.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating
to the procedure for changing names. CH 300]

Approved March 15, 1956

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. date § 8-577.1 of the Code of Virginia be amended and reenacted
as follows:
§ 8-577.1. Any person desiring to change his own name or that of his
child or ward may apply therefor to the circuit court of the county or the
circuit or corporation court of the corporation in which he resides; or if he
be a citizen of this State, without a fixed residence in any one county or
corporation, his application may be to the Circuit Court of the city of
Richmond; or, if the parent or guardian reside in another state, then to
the circui€ court of the county or the circuit or corporation court of the
corporation in which the child or ward resides. In case of a minor who
has no parent or guardian, the application may be made by his next
friend. Such application shall include the place of residence of applicant,
names of both parents, including maiden name of mother, date and place
of birth of applicant, and if applicant is a woman who is or has been
married, her full maiden name.

On any such application the court, in its discretion, may order a
change of his name and thenceforth the new name shall be in place of
the former and the clerk of the court, when the name of such person
has been changed as aforesaid, shall enter the order upon the current
deed book in his office, * shall index the same therein * in both the old and
new names of such person * and shall promptly transmit a certified copy
thereof to the State Registrar of Vital Statistics. Such order shall set forth
the date and place of birth of the person whose name is changed thereby,
and if the name changed is that of a woman who is or has been married,
such order shall set forth her full maiden name.

If any person residing in this State changes his name or assumes
another name, unlawfully, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon
conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than ten dollars nor more than
one hundred dollars and upon a repetition thereof shall be confined in
jail not exceeding sixty days.

All powers, duties and authority conferred upon any court by the

nONIsIONS of this section, may also be exercised by the judge of such court
in vacation.