Chapter 786

786.36(1m)(a) (a)

786.36(1m)(a)1. 1. Subject to subd. 2., the name of a minor under 14 years of age who has 2 living parents may be changed on the petition of one parent if, in addition to filing a copy of the notice required under s. 786.37 (1), with proof of publication, the petitioning parent files proof of service as required under s. 786.37 (2) and the nonpetitioning parent does not appear at the hearing on the petition or otherwise answer the petition.

786.36(1m)(a)2. 2. If the nonpetitioning parent cannot be found or provided with notice, the name of a minor under 14 years of age who has 2 living parents may be changed on the petition of one parent if, in addition to meeting the filing requirements under subd. 1., the petitioning parent has made a reasonable attempt to find and provide notice to the nonpetitioning parent, but with reasonable diligence the nonpetitioning parent cannot be found or provided with notice, and the nonpetitioning parent does not appear at the hearing or otherwise answer the petition.

786.36(1m)(b) (b) If the nonpetitioning parent appears at the hearing on the petition or otherwise answers the petition and shows that he or she has not abandoned the minor, as described in s. 48.415 (1) (a) 3., (b), and (c), or failed to assume parental responsibility for the minor, as described in s. 48.415 (6), the court shall require the consent of the nonpetitioning parent before changing the name of the minor.

786.36(1m)(c) (c) Notwithstanding pars. (a) and (b), the name of a minor under 14 years of age who has 2 living parents may be changed on the petition of one parent without notice to the nonpetitioning parent and regardless of whether the nonpetitioning parent appears at the hearing on the petition if the nonpetitioning parent has been convicted of a violation of any of the following state laws or the law of another jurisdiction that would be a violation of any of the following state laws if the person had committed the offense in this state and been convicted of the offense under the laws of this state:

786.36(1m)(c)1. 1. First-degree intentional homicide under s. 940.01.

786.36(1m)(c)2. 2. First-degree reckless homicide under s. 940.02.

786.36(1m)(c)3. 3. Felony murder under s. 940.03.

786.36(1m)(c)4. 4. Second-degree intentional homicide under s. 940.05.

786.36(1m)(c)5. 5. Second-degree reckless homicide under s. 940.06.

786.36(1m)(c)6. 6. Assisting suicide under s. 940.12.

786.36(1m)(c)7. 7. Sexual exploitation by a therapist under s. 940.22 (2).

786.36(1m)(c)8. 8. Felony sexual assault under s. 940.225 (1), (2), or (3).

786.36(1m)(c)9. 9. Trafficking under s. 940.302 (2) if s. 940.302 (2) (a) 1. b. applies.

786.36(1m)(c)10. 10. Sexual assault of a child under s. 948.02 (1) or (2).

786.36(1m)(c)11. 11. Engaging in repeated acts of sexual assault of the same child under s. 948.025.

786.36(1m)(c)12. 12. Sexual exploitation of a child under s. 948.05.

786.36(1m)(c)13. 13. Trafficking of a child under s. 948.051.

786.36(1m)(c)14. 14. Causing a child to view or listen to sexual activity under s. 948.055.

786.36(1m)(c)15. 15. Incest with a child under s. 948.06.

786.36(1m)(c)16. 16. Child enticement under s. 948.07.

786.36(1m)(c)17. 17. Use of a computer to facilitate a child sex crime under s. 948.075.

786.36(1m)(c)18. 18. Soliciting a child for prostitution under s. 948.08.

786.36(1m)(c)19. 19. Patronizing a child under s. 948.081.

786.36(1m)(c)20. 20. Sexual assault of a child placed in substitute care under s. 948.085.

786.36(1m)(c)21. 21. Sexual assault of a child by a school staff person or a person who works or volunteers with children under s. 948.095.

786.36(1m)(c)22. 22. Felony exposing genitals, pubic area, or intimate parts under s. 948.10 (1) (a).

786.36(1m)(c)23. 23. Felony exposing a child to harmful material or harmful descriptions or narrations under s. 948.11 (2) (a) or (am).

786.36(1m)(c)24. 24. Possession of child pornography under s. 948.12 or 948.125.

786.36(1m)(c)25. 25. Child sex offender working with children under s. 948.13 (2).

786.36(2) (2) Except as provided in sub. (2m), the order shall be entered at length upon the records of the court and a certified copy of the record shall be recorded in the office of the register of deeds of the county, who shall make an entry in a book to be kept by the register. The fee for recording a certified copy is the fee specified under s. 59.43 (2) (ag). If the person whose name is changed or established was born or married in this state, the clerk of the court shall send to the state registrar of vital records, on a form designed by the state registrar of vital records, an abstract of the record, duly certified, accompanied by the fee prescribed in s. 69.22, which fee the clerk of court shall charge to and collect from the petitioner. The state registrar of vital records shall then correct the birth record, marriage record or both, and direct the register of deeds and local registrar to make similar corrections on their records.

786.36(2m) (2m) 

786.36(2m)(a) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), if the court determines that, pursuant to s. 786.37 (4), publication of the petition is not required, all records related to the petitioner’s name change shall be confidential and are exempt from disclosure under s. 19.35 (1). The court shall transmit to the register of deeds a form that states the petitioner’s former name and states that the new name is confidential and may not be disclosed except pursuant to par. (b). The fee for recording a certified copy is the fee specified under s. 59.43 (2) (ag). If the person whose name is changed or established was born in this state, the clerk of the court shall send to the state registrar of vital statistics, on a form designed by the state registrar of vital records, an abstract of the record, duly certified, accompanied by the fee prescribed in s. 69.22, which fee the clerk of court shall charge to and collect from the petitioner. The state registrar of vital records shall then correct the birth record and, upon request by the petitioner and payment by the petitioner of the fees required under s. 69.22, issue to the petitioner the number of certified copies of the corrected birth record requested by the petitioner.

786.36(2m)(b) (b) Notwithstanding ss. 69.20 and 69.21, information that is confidential under this subsection may not be disclosed by the state registrar of vital records, the register of deeds, or a local registrar except pursuant to a court order. A court may order disclosure of confidential information upon good cause shown and upon determining that the safety of the petitioner is not jeopardized by disclosure.

786.36(3) (3) No person engaged in the practice of any profession for which a license is required by the state may change his or her given name or his or her surname to any other given name or any other surname than that under which the person was originally licensed in the profession in this or any other state, in any instance in which the state board or commission for the particular profession, after a hearing, finds that practicing under the changed name operates to unfairly compete with another practitioner or misleads the public as to identity or otherwise results in detriment to the profession or the public. This prohibition against a change of name by a person engaged in the practice of any profession does not apply to any person legally qualified to teach in the public schools in this state, nor to a change of name resulting from marriage or divorce, nor to members of any profession for which there exists no state board or commission authorized to issue licenses or pass upon the qualifications of applicants or hear complaints respecting conduct of members of the profession.

786.36(4) (4) Any change of name other than as authorized by law is void.

786.36 History History: 1973 c. 263; 1977 c. 449; 1979 c. 32 ss. 63, 92 (14); 1979 c. 221; Stats. 1979 s. 786.36; 1981 c. 245; 1983 a. 447; 1985 a. 315 s. 22; 1993 a. 301; 1995 a. 201; 1999 a. 83; 2003 a. 52, 65, 326; 2005 a. 443 s. 265; 2011 a. 274; 2017 a. 334; 2021 a. 182; 2023 a. 224.

786.36 Annotation Although a woman may adopt the surname of her husband subsequent to marriage by customarily using that name, there is no common law, case law, or statutory requirement in Wisconsin that she do so. If the woman continues to use her antenuptial surname, her name is unchanged by the fact that marriage has occurred. Kruzel v. Podell, 67 Wis. 2d 138, 226 N.W.2d 458 (1975).

786.36 Annotation The state’s interest in identifying a convicted felon by the felon’s current name during incarceration and while on parole was sufficient cause to deny a name change petition. Williams v. Racine County Circuit Court, 197 Wis. 2d 841, 541 N.W.2d 514 (Ct. App. 1995), 94-2930.

786.36 Annotation Wisconsin recognizes the common law right to change one’s name through consistent and continuous use as long as the change is not effected for a fraudulent purpose. State v. Hansford, 219 Wis. 2d 226, 580 N.W.2d 171 (1998), 97-0885.

786.36 Annotation Although s. 69.15 (1) (a) provides for changing a name according to an order in a paternity action, it does not provide authority to order a name change in a paternity action without complying with the procedural requirements for a name change under this section. State v. Charles R.P., 223 Wis. 2d 768, 590 N.W.2d 21 (Ct. App. 1998), 97-2353.

786.36 Annotation A legal name change gives a person a positive right to use that new name. That positive right may be relinquished by the person’s conduct in the carrying of the person’s name. If the person uses another name, others have the right to call the person by that other name and to create and file documents under that name. State v. Tiggs, 2002 WI App 181, 256 Wis. 2d 739, 649 N.W.2d 709, 01-2685.

786.36 Annotation In the Name of the Father: Wisconsin’s Antiquated Approach to Child Name Changes in Post-Divorce and Paternity Proceedings. Ritterbusch. 83 MLR 279 (1999).

786.36 Annotation Women’s Names in Wisconsin: In Re Petition of Kruzel. MacDougall. WBB Aug. 1975.

786.37 786.37 Change of name, notice of petition.

786.37(1) (1) Before petitioning the court to change or establish a name, the petitioner shall publish a class 3 notice under ch. 985 stating the nature of the petition and when and where the petition will be heard.

786.37(2) (2) If the petition is for the name change of a minor under 14 years of age who has 2 living parents and if the petition is being made by one parent of the minor, the petitioner shall, in addition to publishing the notice under sub. (1), serve a copy of the notice and petition on the nonpetitioning parent in the same manner as a summons is served under s. 801.11 (1). This subsection does not apply to a petition for the name change of a minor under 14 years of age made under s. 786.36 (1m) (c).

786.37(3) (3) This section does not apply to the name change of a minor if the parental rights to the minor of both parents have been terminated, guardianship and legal custody of the minor have been transferred under subch. VIII of ch. 48, the minor has been placed in a permanent foster home, and the guardian and legal custodian of the minor have petitioned to change the minor’s name to the name or names of the minor’s foster parents.

786.37(4) (4) If a petitioner requests that his or her petition to change or establish a name remain confidential, the clerk of court shall ensure that the name change petition is confidential upon the filing of the petition and sub. (1) does not apply to the petitioner. The court may require the petitioner to comply with sub. (1) if the petitioner is unable to show, by a preponderance of the evidence, that publication of his or her petition could endanger him or her and that he or she is not seeking a name change in order to avoid a debt or conceal a criminal record.

786.37 History History: 1975 c. 261; 1979 c. 32 s. 63; 1979 c. 330 s. 13; Stats. 1979 s. 786.37; 1987 a. 403; 1993 a. 446; 2003 a. 65; 2009 a. 28; 2011 a. 274; 2013 a. 322; 2021 a. 182.

786.37 Annotation Under sub. (4), a petitioner must prove it is more likely than not that the petitioner could be physically endangered if a name change petition is published. “Could” does not mean that there is merely any possibility of endangerment. “Could” simply denotes a possible future event. R.I.B. v. Brown County Circuit Court, 2023 WI App 9, 406 Wis. 2d 170, 986 N.W.2d 325, 22-0323.

786.50 786.50 Limitation of action to recover estate sold. An action for the recovery of any estate sold by a guardian on a cause of action which accrues prior to July 1, 1980 may not be maintained by the ward or by any person claiming under the ward unless it is commenced within 5 years after the termination of the guardianship. Minors and others under legal disability at the time when the cause of action subject to this section accrues may commence their action at any time within 5 years after the removal of the disability.

786.50 History History: 1979 c. 32 s. 63; 1979 c. 176; 1979 c. 323 s. 24; Stats. 1979 s. 786.50.

786.52 786.52 When sale not avoided. A sale of real estate by a guardian is not avoided by any irregularity in the proceedings if it appears that the guardian was licensed to make the sale by the circuit court having jurisdiction; that the guardian gave a bond which was approved by the court before the sale if a bond was required; that the guardian gave the notice of the time and place of sale as prescribed by law; that the premises were sold accordingly and the sale confirmed by the court, and that the premises are held by one who purchased them in good faith.

786.52 History History: 1977 c. 449; 1979 c. 32 s. 63; Stats. 1979 s. 786.52.

786.54 786.54 Liability for neglect. If there is any neglect or misconduct in the proceedings of the guardian in relation to a sale, by which any person interested in the estate is damaged, the aggrieved party may recover in an action on the bond of the guardian or otherwise.

786.54 History History: 1979 c. 32 s. 63; Stats. 1979 s. 786.54.

786.56 786.56 When sale valid. The validity of a sale made by a guardian may not be questioned by any person claiming under any title that is not derived from or through the deceased persons or the ward, on account of any irregularity in the proceedings if it appears that the guardian was licensed to make the sale by a court having jurisdiction and that the guardian did accordingly execute and acknowledge, in legal form, a deed for the conveyance of the premises.

786.56 History History: 1979 c. 32 s. 63; 1979 c. 176; Stats. 1979 s. 786.56.

786.58 786.58 Liability for fraud. A guardian who fraudulently sells real estate of the ward, contrary to the provisions of law, is liable in double the value of the land sold as damages, to be recovered in an action by any person having an inheritance therein.

786.58 History History: 1979 c. 32 s. 63; 1979 c. 176; Stats. 1979 s. 786.58.