I marshaled my resources today as funds were finally available for my name change. I printed out the fillable name change forms from the Transgender Law Center's web site. I filled them out per their instructions and example then took my papers to the court house. It was not nearly as scary as I thought but I was very nervous and my short term memory was not very sharp under the stress so I kept checking that I hadn't left my purse behind or my keys laying on a counter etc. In the end, my forms were accepted and my check was taken. I got my court date which is one day short of my 57th birthday. If all goes according to plan, I will start my 58th year as Margaret Kay. I am exhilarated, relieved, drained and slightly shaking. It will cost $555 when all is done six weeks from now. $320 for the court fees and $235 to post the four order to show cause announcements in a local newspaper.
Yay Maggie,
Anothert steop along the way. Contratulations.
Alice
Wow Maggie! What a huuuuge step!
Congratulations :)
~Kate~
That is way cool, Maggie!! :)
Congratulations Margaret Kay! :) (I like Maggie Kay better)
tink :icon_chick:
Good for you, Maggie.
Congratulations :D
One more hurtle over.
Much Love,
Janet
Way to go, Maggie!!!!!
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fganjataz.com%2F01smileys%2Fimages%2Fsmileys%2FloopyBlonde-blinking.gif&hash=4545ddf8251cf9c32ae6074d56e48bc34a755857)Kristi
Your moving right along Hon!!! I'm real Happy for you......
Congratulations!
Maggie you'll be all smiles when the judge signs the judgment. What a wonderful milestone.
-Sandy
Hey Maggie! Congratulations! Just an FYI, I published the legal notice in the San Francisco Daily Journal, a legal publication distributed all over Northern California last July for only $48.00. Maybe you can do the same?
Congratulations Maggie. ;) My hearing is coming up on June 19th. Here in Oregon it isn't as costly to change your name. The cost is about $110.00. Amber Lynn is a much better name that Robert Harold.
Then the work begins in notifying everyone of the new name.
Love
Amber ;D
Congrats! :)
I was nervous too when I did my name change. Didn't know how understanding Arizona would be about my transition - but then I stood in front of the judge and he said that's certainly a good reason for the name change. That was so wonderful!
Congrats! For me, that was THE HUGE step forward. That was the turning point from which I never looked back. You will be so happy.
Cindi
Congrats, Maggie!
I'm waiting until I have my hysto so insurance pays for it but I can't wait, either. I should be on T at that same time so it will be a big milestone all around.
Jay
Thank you all so much for the nice comments!
I am now waiting for my phone call telling me that the Order to Show Cause is ready to pick up at the court house. It will be super when I get that final detail nailed down. I will email the scan of it to the Monterey County Weekly and I then only have to wait until July 18th for my hearing.
An interesting side note about the clerk at the court house. After reviewing my paperwork for the name change she asked where I got the documents. I said on line and she turned to her files and pulled out the Change of Name and Gender forms. She asked me if they apply to me. I said not yet. It was so sweet of her to check on that for me. I wonder if there will be a problem with similar confusion with the judge. I'll be ready to answer properly.
Claire, I had to pick one from the approved list of papers in the county. I sat there in the court house calling them on my cell, I had expected to pay $50 but for a name change they really charge a lot more. I got quotes from over 400 down to 235. The one nice thing is that the Weekly will notify the court directly when the four postings are complete. As for changing now, once the selection is made on the filed forms, it is not possible to change.
Tink,
I do go by Maggie Kay in some forums. When I got mentioned on trans-ponder.com's podcast that is what Mila called me. I did a couple of voice messages that they included on their podcasts and I also gave Mila a model. She has a photo holding it on the About us page on the web site.
Cindi,
I didn't have this step in my mind as being that huge but as I think about it, leaving my male name behind after all these years is huge. My mother originally believed she was having a girl to be named Margaret. When she was told I was a boy, and what name to call me, she didn't have a name so she picked one at random. As a result, I have always felt that my name was wrong for me. Now, it will match my true self!
Maggie
Maggie- That is wonderful news. But I am sorry it is so expensive! Here in New Mexico the fees where only $150, and the notice had to appear in only one paper, so that was cheap too.
My order to show cause form was signed by the judge today. Her name is KAY so this is somewhat neat. I scanned the form and emailed it to the paper for publication. It was a piece of cake! The clerk at the courthouse was so nice to me again today. I could see she that was happy for me. The reality of the whole thing is settling in on me as I will be soon legally be Margaret Kay. I have been using this name for some time and rarely hear or read my old male name but this somehow is a huge step. Now I can start changing lots of other stuff like my social security etc. So cool! I never dreamed that I would get this excited about the name change but it is really a big upper.
It is nice to know that some places are much more reasonable as far as costs go. The odd thing is that for fictitious business names the posting fees run 50 - 60. I guess they know that we are going to pay, so they gouge.
Maggie
Congrads Maggie, I know how excited I was when I did my name change.