Quote from: missadventure on March 12, 2014, 11:03:41 PM
I tried looking up common law name changes in my state of residence (Indiana) and could find NO information codified into law on the matter. Do you have or know of any resources I might be able to read and print out to show folks when they balk at using my chosen name?
Indiana
Indiana follows the common law rule that an individual may change his name at will so long as the change is not effected for a fraudulent purpose. D.R.S. v. R.S.H., 412 N.E.2d 1257, 1262 (1980); see also POMS PR 05005.016. Furthermore, the Indiana statute that provides a procedure by which a name change may be accomplished by court decree "does not repeal the common law rule; in merely furnishes an additional method of effecting a name change." D.R.S., 412 N.E.2d at 1262. Since Indiana has no statute to the contrary, a married individual may choose any first or last name, so long as the individual is not doing so for fraudulent purposes.
However, although Indiana common law may recognize the validity of changing a first name in the event of marriage, SSA would not recognize the name change because Indiana does not have a statute which expressly allows for a person to change his or her first or full name in the event of marriage. See POMS RM 10212.055(B)(Exception).
Does that help any
Isabell
