My name change was approved by the court this past Wednesday (yay!!!!), and I wanted to share my experience just in case it's of value to others.
I went to the Brooklyn Civil Court, which is the only court in NY State that will allow you to see a judge the day you drop off your petition. You need to arrive with a copy and original of the following documents:
-An original birth certificate with the seal of the state of origin.
-A notarized petition for name change.
-A government issued photo ID, such as driver's license or passport.
-A bill of service to your claimed residence.
The following links to an interactive questionnaire that will render a completed petition for you:
https://lawhelpinteractive.org/login_form?template_id=template.2011-12-19.3223810918&set_language=en (https://lawhelpinteractive.org/login_form?template_id=template.2011-12-19.3223810918&set_language=en)
Though spending 3 hours in a courthouse is not particularly pleasant, everything was easier than I possibly could have imagined. I dropped off my petition, waited for a couple hours in a courtroom, and received my approval without ever approaching the bench or speaking to the judge. The newspaper they asked me to publish in was within walking distance of the court, so I paid for publishing immediately afterwards. I'll receive official documentation on May 1st, then begin the process of getting a new Social Security card, state ID, and passport.
Great information, hon! That site also has a form finder for all states. Thanks for posting this. Hugs, Devlyn