Northern Mariana Islands establishes a general name-change petition procedure

The Northern Mariana Islands established a general court procedure for legal name changes through Public Law 24-38, approved August 27, 2026. The law permits a CNMI resident seeking an official court-recognized name change to file a written, signed petition in the Superior Court. It takes effect upon approval by the governor.

The petition must identify the current and proposed names and provide the petitioner’s birth and residence information. It must include a declaration under penalty of perjury that the request is not for a fraudulent or unlawful purpose, to mislead others, evade legal obligations or interfere with others’ rights. The Supreme Court may establish standard forms and a reasonable fee; an indigent petitioner may request a waiver.

Unless the court waives publication for good cause, notice must appear at least twice in a newspaper of general circulation in the CNMI. The publications must be at least seven days apart, with the first at least 30 days and the second at least 14 days before the hearing. The law specifies the information the notice must contain and permits written objections before the hearing. Proof of publication must be filed before the hearing, subject to a good-cause waiver; failure to provide it may result in dismissal.

The court must conduct a hearing and exercise discretion on evidence rather than conclusory assertions or speculative concerns. It must grant the petition if no substantial evidence shows one of the prohibited purposes. An order recognizing the new name may be used to update identification, birth certificates and other official records. The law treats an order granting the petition as a final judgment, with an appeal to the CNMI Supreme Court within 30 days of issuance.