Va. judge flags transgender woman's name change request for 'extra scrutiny'

LGBTQNATION Tuesday, May 20, 2014

http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2014/05/va-judge-flags-transgender-womans-name-change-request-for-extra-scrutiny/

A Virginia transgender woman who was denied a name change by a Lynchburg, Va., circuit court judge earlier this year is due back in court on Friday for a second hearing on her request..

Julianna Fialkowski says she believes she is being discriminated against because she is transgender.

Fialkowski, 24, who recently completed her first year of hormone treatments, submitted her request for a name change to the Lynchburg Circuit Court in December 2013, but was asked to return a few weeks later for a hearing on the matter.

At the hearing, Judge F. Patrick Yeatts asked Fialkowski about her medical history, how far she was in transition, and if she had gone through gender reassignment surgery.

Same state, different judge. Virginia seems to have a problem of anti-trans judges.

Wonders if i should change my namr to.

miss "Mr oopsymeen miss"

Someday the struggles will end. Someday.

Keep fighting is all we can do.

Isabell

This is why I say if you live in a more (socially) conservative area it may be better to list as your reason something such as you like your chosen name better or you think that name better fits your personality, rather than mentioning that you're doing it because you're changing gender (if you do not have strikes against you like massive debts or a criminal record - which would be legitimate reasons for a judge to deny your name change and thus you might need a stronger reason to get it approved).

This is not typical I live in Virginia and when I changed my name , I had no issues.

Quote from: JessikaBlackMage on May 21, 2014, 11:56:29 PM
This is not typical I live in Virginia and when I changed my name , I had no issues.

That's good to hear. Congratulations.

tgchar21: I was concerned about potential problems (different state, not Virginia) and went the "personal preference"/"dislike given name" route. Everything went fine, although there's no way of knowing if it made any difference.

On another site I just saw where the judge went ahead and granted the change AFTER an appeals brief was filed in a higher court.

Quote from: Vicky on May 22, 2014, 05:37:30 PM
On another site I just saw where the judge went ahead and granted the change AFTER an appeals brief was filed in a higher court.

Judges can be quickly reprimanded for showing any prejudice or bias.

Now if only that applied to the SCOTUS...