Going to get this done relatively soon. I am tired of living with this name. I'm going to run my plan by my therapist first but I anticipate starting the process sometime in February or March. I already ran it by my wife.

I notice on the forms it says "you must notify other interested parties." Who exactly?

It also mentions newspaper publication. Which newspaper did they tell you to put it in? Is it something like the Record or Star Ledger? I'm in Sussex County if it helps.

I know we have case law on our side for the reason, so I'm just going to put "I am transgender, my true gender identity is feminine, and I would like to change my name to reflect my true gender identity." This is basically word for word from the court decision (in Re Eck 245 N.J. Super. 220 (App. Div. 1991))

What else? Do you go to your county superior court or do they make you trek to Newark or Trenton?

It is done on the county level. Same as the news paper.

Interested parties are anyone who has personal ties, ie wife, spouse, children, loans, etc.

Quote from: mrs izzy on January 02, 2015, 08:34:34 PM
It is done on the county level. Same as the news paper.

Interested parties are anyone who has personal ties, ie wife, spouse, children, loans, etc.

So wait, I have to notify ALL of my creditors for the court filing? Meaning, credit cards, mortgage, student loans etc? Anyone who has personal ties? Damn, that's going to be a pretty long list.

I don't plan to defraud anyone, and I do plan to change my name on everything, but it seems a bit much to have to notify all of them in advance...

Quote from: ImagineKate on January 02, 2015, 09:03:44 PM
So wait, I have to notify ALL of my creditors for the court filing? Meaning, credit cards, mortgage, student loans etc? Anyone who has personal ties? Damn, that's going to be a pretty long list.

I don't plan to defraud anyone, and I do plan to change my name on everything, but it seems a bit much to have to notify all of them in advance...

When you send in the paperwork (Form) you will get back a copy from the court and the judge assigned to your case will tell you which paper you have to publish in on the form returned to you. (For me in Bergen County, NJ, it was the NJ Record). That form (two pages of it) will become the court order you'll be using later.

As far as creditors go, it only applies for any judgements against you. If you don't have any you select non and that's it. If you have some, you should like the Docket numbers of those Judgements (or pending cases). The other things (credit cards, mortgages, so for forth) you tell them after the court order is signed. There is also another section you have to say yes or no to any pending criminal charges or probation. (That's what the other form is for in the packet to notify probation officers etc if applicable.

Ok that's more like it.  I don't have any judgements or criminal stuff. Thanks Sydney. Any idea how long the process takes?

Quote from: ImagineKate on January 03, 2015, 07:06:39 AM
Ok that's more like it.  I don't have any judgements or criminal stuff. Thanks Sydney. Any idea how long the process takes?

Total about 2-3 months. Once you send in the forms, you'll get notified within a week or so of a court day. Every county in NJ is slightly different on the court process/notification. For me in Bergen County, the court clerk called me directly to confirm a date since I represented myself. My date was 5 weeks later from the phone call. You also get the submitted form back with where you must publish the name change so anyone can contest it. (No one hardly ever does.) The clerk gave out very good instruction, say that I am transgender and said to just be and dress myself for the court date. She also gave me her direct number in case I had any questions.

On the court date, you bring the forms they sent back. (Along with proof of publishing you get back from the paper, NJ DL and Original Birth Certificate or Naturalization Papers.) You get them all back as the clerk makes copies of them. Once the judge approves and signs the court order, you get one copy in court (without the seal, but notarized.) Then you have to wait another 30 days (the judge will tell you the exact date and it written on your copy of the court order. Then you have to publish in the paper again (to announce the change.) You'll get a copy in the mail with the seal (that's the one you have to use to change Driver's License, Social Security and Passport.)

The form instruction say your suppose to submit proof to the court on the 2nd publishing in paper, but the clerk said I didn't have to, but hang on to the proof that it was published in case it ever gets questioned. I did go back later on and get copies with the seal on them. They make copies of the one you get in court and notarize them and put a seal on them. I wanted multiple copies because the ones you send to NJ Division of Taxation and Birth Certificate you don't get back. (Passport one, they did send back and MVC and SS give them back to you as well.)

Thanks Sydney! You came through as always. Now I have to find something cute to wear to court. Maybe we can go shopping next time we meet up.

 ImagineKate,

Just let me know on messenger or here if you need help with the PDF Forms you'll need. You can download them( 10551 Name Change Petition, CIS Form, fill them in on the computer and print them. One of them is a little tricky on the legal wording for on the NJ CIS Form. One the Caption Part, put in:

   INRE: <insert full old name>

Since that would normally be <plaintiff> vs. <defendant>

Other than that the packet has good instructions.

Thanks Sydney, I'm kind of familiar dealing with the superior court for firearm stuff but I'll be sure to ask if I run into any trouble.