Neal v. Neal
Supreme Court of Missouri
941 S.W.2d 501
Relevant factsFree
Melissa Neal petitioned for divorce and to restore her maiden name, Gintz, giving her newborn son that surname without listing her husband on the birth certificate; the trial court denied her name-change request without explanation and, at the husband's request, ordered the child's surname changed to Neal and the husband added to the birth certificate.
IssueFree
Whether a court has unlimited discretion to deny a divorcing party's name-change request without providing any reason, and whether a court may change a minor child's name in a divorce proceeding without prior notice to the other parent.