Worms v. Worms

This appeal involves a question of first impression in this state: what are the legitimate criteria for the exercise of the trial court’s discretion, when a mother, divorced from the father of her children and since remarried, petitions to have the surname of the children changed to that of her second husband and the natural father objects?

Laurie Lynn Worms, born December 21, 1953, and Curtis Jeffrey Worms, born December 26, 1952, on petition filed as prescribed by section 1276 of the Code of Civil Procedure were permitted to change their last name to that of their stepfather, Melvin…