Nature of Proceedings: OSC Name Change
CASE: Petition of Samantha Mae Lockett, Case No. 1439483 (Judge Sterne)

HEARING DATE: March 17, 2014

MATTER: Petition for Change of Name (Minor Children)

TENTATIVE RULING: The petition for change of name of minor children is denied.

DISCUSSION:

Petitioner Samantha Lockett and respondent Kristopher Zacharias were married on August 25, 2001. The parties separated four years ago and were formally divorced on June 21, 2012, although the marital dissolution case remains pending (Santa Barbara Superior Court Case No. 1373869). Petitioner and respondent have two children, Dylan Kristopher Zacharias, age 9, and Marlowe Skye Zacharias, age 5. The parties share custody of the two children. When the parties married twelve years ago, petitioner gave up her maiden name of Lockett and took respondent’s surname of Zacharias. Recently, petitioner resumed using her maiden name.
Petitioner now petitions the court to change the children’s su