Name Change in New Jersey?

[Jake P]

Hi.  Does anyone have any experience with changing their name in New Jersey?  I've tried looking around on the internet, but I seem to find differing bits of information.  Any ideas as to the process that needs to be gone through, approximate price, timline, etc?  I would really appreciate any help.  Thanks! ^_^

[noxdraconis]

I did my name change there a little less than two years ago. 

You need to fill out the forms that you can find at the the state government's website here: http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/prose/10551_namechange_adult.pdf

You then file them with your county court for $200.  They will then send you when your court date is and what newspaper you have to publish a notice in at least two weeks in advance of your court date.  You publish the notice and the newspaper will send you an affidavit of publication which you send to the court.  Then go to court on the date they told you, do your trial, and the judge will sign off on the name change, which you then publish right afterwards in the same paper as the first announcement.  You will be mailed the affidavit again and you get a certified copy of your name change when the court gets the affidavit.  Additional certified copies cost $5.   Then you get to change everything to your new name 

Feel free to ask anything else you might want to know about the process.

[Jake P]

Thanks, that was very helpful! 

One other question.  What was involved at the trial?  I know some people had a lawyer, but a lot of people don't.  Is it a really big deal that you should have a lawyer for or is it not too bad?

Also, what reason did you provide for the name change?  Would it just be best to say transitioning from female to male and this name is more appropriate?  Or would something else be better?

I think that's pretty much it.  Thanks again!

[noxdraconis]

Not bad at all, and certainly no need for a lawyer unless you have a criminal background, are in debt up to your eyeballs, or are in the midst of committing fraud.  The judge mostly just goes over what you wrote in the papers that you filed. 

I put "common usage."  Basically, that is just a different way to say "well, everybody I talk to calls me that."  I did not want to put anything about being trans in because I did not want to be denied the name change in case the judge was not trans-friendly and because there are other people in the court room at time of the trial (people waiting for their trials) who have no need to know my business, but later on I learned that NJ is rather good to us in regards to descrimination so, you can put it in if you want to (my judge guessed it right away and was really nice about it).