How to change your name in Cobb County, Georgia
If Cobb County is home, your name change petition belongs in the Superior Court of Cobb County, in Marietta. We prepare it, file it, run the required newspaper notice, and carry it through to a signed order — all for one flat fee, with a free consultation to start.
A Cobb County case, without the courthouse runaround
Georgia's name change statute (O.C.G.A. § 19-12-1) sends every petition to the Superior Court of the county where the petitioner lives. For the hundreds of thousands of people who call Smyrna, Marietta, Kennesaw, Acworth, Austell, Powder Springs, or Mableton home, that means one place: the Superior Court of Cobb County.
Name changes are the only thing we do. That single focus means the paperwork is drafted right the first time, the newspaper notice runs on schedule, and nothing sits in a pile waiting to bounce back from the clerk. Your consultation and nearly everything after it happens by phone or video — you keep living your life while we mind the case.
Local logistics: petitions are filed with the Clerk of Superior Court at 70 Haynes Street, Marietta, GA 30090 [confirm]. Cobb Superior Court takes civil filings electronically through PeachCourt — not the eFileGA portal many other Georgia counties use — and e-filing has been the standard for attorney-filed civil cases statewide since 2019 [confirm]. In practice, that means your petition reaches the court without anyone standing in a courthouse line.
Want the bigger picture first? Read our step-by-step walkthrough of the Georgia name change process, or browse the answers to the questions we hear most. Then come back — the Cobb-specific details are below.
How it works in Cobb County
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Free consultation
A relaxed phone or video call. We confirm you're eligible, listen for anything that needs special handling, and quote your flat fee alongside Cobb County's actual court costs — so the full price is on the table before you decide anything.
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Your petition is filed with the Cobb County Superior Court clerk
We draft the Petition for Name Change, you review and sign, and we file it with the Clerk of Superior Court in Marietta. From that moment your case has a civil action number and a home.
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Notice runs for four weeks in the county legal organ
Georgia law generally requires the notice to appear once a week for four consecutive weeks in the Marietta Daily Journal, Cobb County's official legal organ [confirm]. We place it, pay the publisher, watch each run, and file the proof with the court. If a publication exception may fit your situation, such as the protections for victims of family violence, we'll pursue it.
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The 30-day objection window passes
Anyone with a stake has 30 days to file an objection. In everyday adult cases, objections are genuinely rare — and if one lands, you already have a lawyer on the case.
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The judge signs your final order
With publication proven and the objection period closed, we submit the proposed order. Some Cobb judges sign on the papers alone; others like a brief hearing. Either way, you'll know what's coming and we'll handle it with you.
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Certified copies and your update checklist
We order certified copies of the signed order and send you our update checklist in the sequence that works: Social Security first, then the Georgia DDS, then passport, banks, employer, and everything else that carries your name.
Three numbers, no surprises
A Cobb County name change has exactly three costs. We quote every one of them at the consultation, and the attorney fee never moves mid-case.
Flat attorney fee
$XXX for an adult petition. It covers the consultation, drafting, filing, publication management, communication with the court, hearing representation if your judge wants one, and your final order. One number, agreed in writing.
Cobb County filing fee
Set by the Clerk of Superior Court and paid when the petition is filed: $218 on the clerk's posted fee schedule (effective January 1, 2020) [confirm]. We confirm the exact amount before you commit, and fee waivers may be available for qualifying low-income petitioners.
Publication cost
Paid to the Marietta Daily Journal, the county's designated legal organ, for the four-week notice: $120 on the clerk's posted fee schedule, plus a $25 publisher's affidavit fee [confirm]. The clerk collects the publication payment at filing and forwards it to the paper. If a publication exception applies to your case, this line may disappear entirely.
Quick answers for Cobb County petitioners
Where do I file a name change in Cobb County?
Cobb County residents file a Petition for Name Change with the Clerk of the Superior Court of Cobb County, in Marietta. Georgia law requires the petition to go to the Superior Court of the county where you live, so if Cobb is home, Marietta is your courthouse. When we handle your case, we prepare and file the petition for you — most clients never set foot in the clerk's office.
Do I have to publish my name change in a Cobb County newspaper?
Generally, yes. Georgia law calls for notice of the petition to run once a week for four consecutive weeks in the county's official legal organ — the newspaper designated to carry legal notices for Cobb County. We place the notice, track each week's run, and file proof of publication with the court. Limited exceptions exist, including protections for victims of family violence, and we'll raise one with the court if it may apply to you.
Will I have to appear in court in Marietta?
It depends on the judge assigned to your case. Many routine adult petitions are decided on the paperwork alone, while some judges prefer a short hearing before signing the order. If yours does require an appearance, it's usually brief and low-key — and we'll prepare you for exactly what to expect and be there with you.
How long does a name change take in Cobb County?
Most cases run roughly six to ten weeks from filing to signed order. The four-week publication requirement and the 30-day objection window set the floor; the rest comes down to the court's calendar and your judge's schedule. We'll give you an honest, current estimate at your free consultation.
Ready to file in Cobb County?
Tell us your situation in a free consultation and walk away with a flat-fee quote and a realistic timeline — whether you hire us or not.
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