Stephens v. Commonwealth

OPINION BY Justice LAWRENCE L. KOONTZ, JR.

This appeal challenges a circuit court order denying a petition for change of name filed pursuant to Code § 8.01-217 by an inmate in a correctional facility.

BACKGROUND

On November 23, 2005, David Stephens, Jr., an inmate at the Greensville Correctional Center, filed a petition in the Circuit Court of Greensville County to change his name pursuant to Code § 8.01-217. In the petition, Stephens stated under oath that he sought to change his name to Yâ-sin ibn Dâwûd Stephens "for religious purposes" and that Stephens was "practicing Islam and the change of…