Order to Show Cause for Change of Name
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File NC-120 with Ezel
Fill NC-120 with Ezel
AI-assisted intake, completeness review, and a court-ready PDF for NC-120 only. Print, sign in pen, file yourself.
What Ezel does with NC-120
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What is NC-120?
California Judicial Council mandatory-use Order to Show Cause that the court issues after the petitioner files NC-100. The petitioner pre-fills the caption, lists the same present-name and proposed-name pairs from NC-100 item 2, picks the newspaper of general circulation that will publish the order, and brings the form to the clerk. The clerk inserts the hearing date, time, department, and room, and the judge signs. The petitioner then publishes a copy of the signed NC-120 in the chosen newspaper once a week for four consecutive weeks before the hearing (Code of Civil Procedure section 1277(a)).
What happens if you miss the deadline: If publication is not completed at least the required four consecutive weeks before the hearing, the court usually continues the hearing rather than denying the petition. The newspaper files a Proof of Publication with the court before the hearing; if it is missing, the petitioner must request a continuance.
How to file
- Filing fee
- No separate filing fee. NC-120 is filed inside the NC-100 case and travels under the NC-100 filing fee.
- Filing method
- in-person, mail, efile (county-specific)
- Filing deadline
- File NC-120 with NC-100 (or as soon as the clerk asks for it). After the judge signs, the petitioner must publish the order in a newspaper of general circulation once a week for four consecutive weeks before the hearing (CCP 1277(a)). NC-100-INFO item 6 advises requesting a hearing date at least six weeks out so publication can be completed in time. The newspaper files Proof of Publication directly with the court.
- How to serve
- Two outbound steps after the judge signs: (1) publication in the chosen newspaper, four consecutive weeks before the hearing (newspaper files Proof of Publication); (2) for a child name change where the nonconsenting parent has not joined, personal service of the signed NC-120 on that parent under CCP 413.10, 414.10, 415.10, or 415.40, at least 30 days before the hearing (NC-100-INFO item 8(a)). NC-121 (Proof of Service) is filed before the hearing.
- Wet signature
- No
- Notarization
- No
- Original and copies
- Original plus two copies. Clerk file-stamps the original and returns two endorsed copies after the judge signs.
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Attorney bar number; pro se filers leave blank.
Filer name. Must match NC-100 caption.
Firm name. Pro se filers leave blank.
Filer street address.
Filer city.
Filer state.
Filer ZIP.
Filer phone.
Filer fax. Effectively obsolete.
Filer email. Optional but recommended.
'Attorney for' caption. Pro se filers type 'Self-Represented' or 'In Pro Per'.
Court county. Same as NC-100.
Court street address.
Court mailing address.
Court city and ZIP.
Court branch.
Petitioner caption name(s). Match NC-100 caption exactly.
- Listing the proposed (new) name. The caption uses the petitioner's CURRENT legal name.
Case number from the clerk. Leave blank if filing NC-120 together with NC-100; the clerk stamps it on.
Item 1: petitioner's current legal name. Must match NC-100 item 1.
Item 1 row a: present name of the first person whose name is changing. Must match NC-100 item 2 row a.
Item 1 row a: proposed name of the first person.
Item 1 row b: optional second person's present name.
Item 1 row b: optional second person's proposed name.
Item 1 row c: optional third person's present name.
Item 1 row c: optional third person's proposed name.
Item 1 row d: optional fourth person's present name.
Item 1 row d: optional fourth person's proposed name.
Item 1 row e: optional fifth person's present name.
Item 1 row e: optional fifth person's proposed name.
Item 1 'Continued on Attachment 1' checkbox. Check only if more than five name pairs.
Item 2a hearing date. CLERK fills this in. Leave blank.
- Filling in a date. The clerk picks the date when you bring the form in.
Item 2a hearing time. CLERK fills this in. Leave blank.
Item 2a department. CLERK fills this in. Leave blank.
Item 2a room. CLERK fills this in. Leave blank.
Item 2b: hearing address radio. Almost always 'Same as above'. The 'Other' option is only used if the clerk tells you the hearing is at a different branch.
Item 2b: 'Other' hearing address. Used only if 'Other' radio is selected.
Item 3a: publication requirement checkbox. Check 3a unless an exemption applies (gender identity / NC-125, Safe at Home, State Witness Program, juvenile-court minor).
- Leaving 3a blank because the user thought the clerk would check it. The petitioner must check it; otherwise the order is unclear about whether publication is required.
Item 3a sub-radio: which county the newspaper serves. Resident filers pick 'In this county'. Non-resident filers (NC-100 item 1b) pick the petitioner's county of residence option.
Item 3a: name of the newspaper of general circulation. Each county clerk has a list of qualified newspapers; ask the clerk for it.
- Picking a non-qualifying paper (e.g., a free shopper or an HOA newsletter). The newspaper must be 'legally qualified to publish orders and notices'.
Item 3b: 'Other' checkbox. Use when a publication exemption applies; describe the basis in the specify field.
Item 3b: free-text basis for an exemption (e.g., 'Petitioner is a participant in the Safe at Home address-confidentiality program; CCP 1277.5').
Date the judge signs. JUDGE fills. Leave blank.
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