In re Yates

974 N.W.2d 408 (Mem)

In the MATTER OF the Petition of Shane Lance YATES for Name Change

In the Matter of the Petition of Amy Jo Yates for Name Change

No. 20220054

No. 20220056

Supreme Court of North Dakota.

FILED MAY 12, 2022

Shane L. Yates, self-represented, Fargo, ND, appellant.

Amy J. Yates, self-represented, Fargo, ND, appellant.

Per Curiam.

[¶1] Shane Lance Yates and Amy Jo Yates ("Petitioners") appeal district court orders denying their petitions for name changes and requests for evidentiary hearings. The Petitioners sought to change their names from "SHANE LANCE YATES" (in all uppercase letters) to "Shane Lance Yates" and "AMY JO YATES" (in all uppercase letters) to "Amy Jo Yates." The Petitioners argue the court erred because they are exercising their private core civilian rights and that they should have been granted a private evidentiary hearing. We conclude the district court did not err in denying the petitions for name changes or requests for evidentiary hearings. We summarily affirm under N.D.R.App.P. 35.1(a)(7) ; Matter of Yates , 2022 ND 11, ¶ 5, 969 N.W.2d 195 (holding there was no proper and reasonable cause for the district court to change two individuals’ names from all capital letters to initial capital letters followed by lowercase letters because such a request was not a change from one name to another); Matter of Mees , 465 N.W.2d 172, 173 (N.D. 1991) (" Section 32-28-02, N.D.C.C., does not require an evidentiary hearing in conjunction with a petition for change of name.").

[¶2] Jon J. Jensen, C.J.

Gerald W. VandeWalle

Daniel J. Crothers

Lisa Fair McEvers

Jerod E. Tufte