I'm writing a story that takes place in a contemporary, midsize city. The character has a very common name. Let's say it's set in Milwaukee, WI, and the name of the character is 'Peter Smith'.
What if there really is a Peter Smith living in Milwaukee? Could I conceivably get in trouble for this? Should I change the name so that it doesn't overlap with any real names in Milwaukee?
What happens in scenarios like this? Thanks.