Brown v. Brown

In this appeal from a judgment of divorce, appellant claims that the trial court erred in denying her request that her maiden name be restored. We agree and remand to the trial court with directions that appellant’s maiden name be restored.

Under the common law, any adult or emancipated person could change his or her name at will, without any legal proceedings, simply by adopting another name, as long as he did not do so for a fraudulent or criminal purpose. See Piotrowski v. Piotrowski, 71 Mich.App. 213, 247 N.W.2d 354, 355 (1976); Kruzel v. Podell, 67 Wis.2d 138, 151, 226 N.W.2d 458, 464…