How to change your name in Chatham County, Georgia
If you live in Savannah — or anywhere else in Chatham County — your name change petition belongs in the Superior Court of Chatham County. We handle the whole case for one flat fee, mostly by phone and video, so the courthouse stays our problem instead of yours.
Your case starts at the Chatham County Superior Court
A legal name change in Georgia is a real court case — a short, civil one, but a case all the same, with a judge, a docket number, and deadlines. Under O.C.G.A. § 19-12-1, the petition is filed in the Superior Court of the county where you live. For Chatham County residents, that means the Superior Court of Chatham County in Savannah — whether home is downtown, Pooler, Garden City, or Tybee Island.
Living Oak Legal does exactly one thing: Georgia name changes. We draft your petition, file it with the clerk, arrange the required newspaper notice, watch every deadline, and put certified copies of your signed order in your hands — all for a flat fee you'll know before we start. Because the work happens by phone and video, you won't rearrange a workday around a courthouse trip unless a judge actually asks to see you.
Local logistics, for the curious: the Clerk of Superior Court's civil division sits in the Eugene H. Gadsden Courthouse at 400 W. Oglethorpe Avenue, Suite 178, in downtown Savannah [confirm]. Civil cases there are filed through Georgia's eFileGA e-filing system, with public access terminals at the clerk's office for anyone filing in person [confirm] — we file electronically, so this is one more step you never touch. The county also runs a Family Law Resource Center in Savannah that helps self-represented residents with name change paperwork [confirm]; it's a solid option if you'd rather handle your own case, and we'll say so if that's the better fit for you.
Want the statewide picture first? Read our walkthrough of the full Georgia name change process, or browse answers to common Georgia name change questions. Here's how it plays out in Chatham County specifically.
How it works in Chatham County
Six steps, most of which we carry for you. Here's the shape of a typical case.
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Free consultation
A short, honest conversation: the name you want, anything in your history that needs careful handling, and your full cost — our flat fee plus Chatham County's actual court and publication charges, quoted plainly.
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Petition filed with the Chatham County clerk
We draft your Petition for Name Change and the sworn verification, you review and sign, and we file with the Clerk of the Superior Court of Chatham County. Your case gets a civil action number and an assigned judge.
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Four weeks of published notice
Georgia generally requires notice of the petition to run once a week for four consecutive weeks in the county's official legal organ. We place it, pay the publisher, track each run, and file proof with the court. Limited exceptions exist — including protections for victims of family violence — and we'll raise one if it fits your situation.
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The 30-day objection window
Anyone with a legitimate objection has 30 days to raise it with the court. Objections to routine adult petitions are rare, but the window is built into the law and has to run — it's part of why the timeline is measured in weeks, not days.
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The judge signs your final order
Once publication is proven and the objection window has closed, your case is ready for decision. Many petitions can be granted on the paperwork alone; if your judge prefers a brief hearing, we prepare you for exactly what to expect.
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Certified copies and your update checklist
We obtain certified copies of your final order and send them with our step-by-step checklist for updating Social Security, the Georgia DDS, your passport, banks, and the rest — in the sequence that avoids repeat trips.
Three numbers, no surprises
Your total has three parts. One is ours; the other two pass through to the court and the newspaper at their actual rates.
Flat attorney fee
One fee of $XXX covers everything we do: consultation, drafting, filing, publication handling, hearing preparation if your judge wants one, and your final order. Quoted up front — and it doesn't move.
Chatham County filing fee
The Clerk of Superior Court charges a filing fee to open any new civil case. In Chatham County, that fee is $218 as of July 1, 2024 [confirm], paid when your petition is filed. We confirm the exact amount at your consultation.
Publication cost
The required notice runs in the Savannah Morning News [confirm], the county's official legal organ. The publisher sets the rate — currently [VERIFY: typical four-week publication cost in Chatham County's legal organ] — and we pay it on your behalf and fold it into your quote.
Chatham County name change FAQ
Where do I file a name change in Chatham County?
Chatham County residents file a Petition for Name Change in the Superior Court of Chatham County, which sits in Savannah. If you work with us, you never have to decode the clerk's requirements yourself — we prepare the petition, file it, and manage everything that follows by phone and video, wherever in the county you live.
Do I have to publish my name change in a Savannah newspaper?
Generally, yes. Georgia law requires notice of a name change petition to run once a week for four consecutive weeks in the county's official legal organ. Limited exceptions exist — including protections for victims of family violence — and we'll tell you at your consultation whether one may apply to you. When publication is required, we arrange it, track each run, and file the proof with the court.
Will I have to appear in court in Savannah?
It depends on the judge assigned to your case. Many uncontested adult name changes in Georgia are decided on the paperwork alone, while some judges prefer a short hearing. If yours does, we prepare you for exactly what to expect — most hearings are brief and conversational, not a trial.
How long does a name change take in Chatham County?
Most Georgia name changes take roughly six to ten weeks from filing to final order, and Chatham County cases generally follow that pattern. The main drivers are the four-week publication requirement, the 30-day objection window, and the court's calendar. We'll give you a realistic, county-specific estimate before you commit to anything.
Ready to start your Chatham County name change?
Book a free consultation. We'll listen, quote your flat fee plus Chatham County's exact court and publication costs, and tell you honestly if you don't actually need a lawyer.
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