Submitted Legal Name Change

[devention]

I finally got the money together yesterday to submit my paperwork to change my name! I'm really excited. The people at the clerk's office were really nice. I was trying to find my way up to the next floor to get to the treasurer's office (for different paperwork) and they have this half floor thing and the stairs behind a door with a tiny sign and one of the women who helped me calls out "Ben the stairs are over here!"
It really made my day.
Anyone know about the turn around is for judicial review on this stuff? A month? Two?

[Ptarus]

It takes a little bit, back when I was trying to change my name I had to post it in the newspaper and leave it there for 3 weeks.

Someone contested against it and the judge I was assigned is extremely sexist, so I'm stuck with my same name.

I have a buddy who changed his middle name, the process took him around 3 or 4 months if I remember correctly.

[devention]

Boo on the judge saying no. I'm basically a nobody, so I'm hoping it'll go uncontested. Got my fingers crossed.

[Ptarus]

Trust me, I'm a nobody too.

I'm trying again here soon, hopefully I won't get the dreaded Anna Moran as a judge again.

Good luck to you on your wait, I'm sure you'll have no problems, except for getting impatient maybe lol

[devention]

Gotta hurry up and wait. Like bein in the army lol
Good luck!

[Sebryn]

You may consider hiring a lawyer if it's a real issue since they tend to have connections to judges and know who to go see to get the changes done hassle free.

[devention]

My parents know a lawyer who helped them w/ their adoption stuff and such, but I'm trying as hard as I can to avoid extra fees. If it comes down to it, I'll give him a call, but I reeeeeally want to avoid it.
Thanks for the advice, though, guys. I'll definitely be on the lookout!

[G]

It takes a little bit, back when I was trying to change my name I had to post it in the newspaper and leave it there for 3 weeks.

Someone contested against it and the judge I was assigned is extremely sexist, so I'm stuck with my same name.

I have a buddy who changed his middle name, the process took him around 3 or 4 months if I remember correctly.

Just wondering, where do you live?

@OP, congrats and good luck. I'm from a very conservative state and I didn't have any problems. 

[Ptarus]

Alaska

[G]

Alaska

Hopefully things go better this time. Good luck

[devention]

UPDATE: I got my signed paperwork back yesterday! I emailed the paper the Judge said I had to post in, and I'm waiting to hear back from them to see who I have to talk to to get it posted.
I was really surprised by the quick turn around. I was expecting a couple of weeks, at least!

[Bombadil]

I think it really depends on where you live. My name change within my state happened really fast and smoothly.

[Amadeus]

My name change was much easier than I anticipated.  The worst parts were paying a tonne of money [all cash, and no signs stating that the clerks' office doesn't take anything else] and being anxious on my court date.  But it was worth it.

In Georgia [where I currently reside], the process was this:

• File paperwork and pay a lot of money in cash to the county clerks' office
• Get a court date [mine was about two months after filing]
• Go to local newspaper and run an advert once a week for four weeks declaring name change intent
• Wait for court date
• Show up for court with proof of newspaper advert [Nerve-wracking!  But the judge I had was really nice, very polite.]
• Take judge's orders to clerks' office and pay more money for copies
• PROFIT!

Now you know I have to do this...

Filing paperwork for name change: $230
Newspaper advert declaring name change: $90
Copies of judge's orders: $20
Finally ending a thirty-two years-long nightmare: PRICELESS!

There are some things money can't buy.  For everything else there's Mastercard.  Or in my case, cash, because the damn clerks' office takes nothing else.

[devention]

I am legally my chosen name. I finally managed to get into the clerk's office today and she was just like "looks good! here's a stamp. Five dollars, cash or check--oh, you don't have either?" shifty eyes "Just take it and go. You're good!" All I could say was thank you. After last week (I got an abscess in my tooth and lost my job due to tardies), this was a very welcome breath of fresh air.
I am so ecstatic!  I've been waiting for this for a long time, now. I'll be changing my name at the school first because all they require is the court order.
I'm kinda hung up, though, because I really do want to do all my documentation changes at the same time, but I need...permission, I guess the best word is, from two physicians to get it done on my social, which will be elligible to change my license and my BC (I'm in NY, and I'm 90% sure this is the case?). I know my Endo will sign off on it, but the person I've been dealing with throughout my transition so far has been a PA at my GP's office, so I'm a little stuck there, unless she can get him to sign off on it, as well.
Still. I'm really happy about this.

[jonjon]

Good luck with the name change!

I have to say, from over the pond, you guys really seem to have a complicated, expensive and very unnecessary process for name changing is there any particular reason it's that way? Here in UK you just hop online, fill in a form and select your desired name and pay like £30 or something. Job done and paperwork in the post about a week or two later! In fact, you even get a discount if you decide to change it again!! Crazy XD I just don't understand why the US have made it so complicated for you

[LordKAT]

Name changes aren't complicated at all. You just take the court order to  the SS office and done. Same for DL and any other place that needs your name changed.


Only exception is military and some schools, notably high schools.

[jonjon]

Name changes aren't complicated at all. You just take the court order to  the SS office and done. Same for DL and any other place that needs your name changed.


Only exception is military and some schools, notably high schools.

Then you all make it sound so complicated! Lol

[LordKAT]

Gender change is a whole different ballgame, then you need surgeon letters and have complications, name change is a breeze.

[jonjon]

Well that makes more sense >.> lol

[Amadeus]

Here in UK you just hop online, fill in a form and select your desired name and pay like £30 or something. Job done and paperwork in the post about a week or two later! In fact, you even get a discount if you decide to change it again!! Crazy XD I just don't understand why the US have made it so complicated for you

Okay, I was already gagging to get over there and be with my beloved.  This makes me even more eager.  If my new records don't arrive soon, I'mma say 'sod it' and start swimming.