UPDATED ON POST #8

I am planning on filling out the form myself but am too afraid to mess it up and end up having the judge deny my request.

I currently reside in Riverside, California. Any help or advice would be appreciated.

Riverside does not have a trans infrastructure that I know of. Try the LGBT centers in LA and San Diego--they have trans support groups where you can network and get the help you need.

Also, you can fill out the forms to the best of your ability and then get free help from...I think they call them court facilitators (it's late, and I've been working all day) if you are willing to go to the courthouse early. I did that with my divorce. See if your local family court has this service. I would go back twice, though--see if you can have two different facilitators look at it.

Quote from: Arch on August 26, 2012, 01:25:42 AM
Riverside does not have a trans infrastructure that I know of. Try the LGBT centers in LA and San Diego--they have trans support groups where you can network and get the help you need.

Also, you can fill out the forms to the best of your ability and then get free help from...I think they call them court facilitators (it's late, and I've been working all day) if you are willing to go to the courthouse early. I did that with my divorce. See if your local family court has this service. I would go back twice, though--see if you can have two different facilitators look at it.

I dont know much about law, why would you recommend going back twice?

In the past, when I was dealing with bureaucracies regarding name changes and gender marker changes, I've wound up getting conflicting responses from different people at the same agency. So I figure that you should be in pretty good shape if you fill out as much as you can--as much as you're comfortable with--and then see a facilitator and do the rest, and then come back and have it checked by another facilitator.

Some of my friends did their name changes themselves, and they got help from the guy who ran the trans group. I don't think they consulted facilitators.

I just remembered--since you are in California, you should also look up the Transgender Law Center as well, if you haven't already. You actually might not need help from a facilitator or a trans contact--the TLC used to have a big file called "ID Please" or (something like that) where they laid out the procedure for filling in various forms and filing for name change and/or gender change with the major agencies. You might try there first.

ETA: This page has a link to ID Please. I'd give you the direct link, but I think it's a PDF, and my computer doesn't like PDFs. http://www.transgenderlawcenter.org/issues/id

Check out Daniel006's post on name change in Los Angeles: https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,125757.msg987650.html#msg987650

Quote from: Arch on August 27, 2012, 07:14:15 PM
Check out Daniel006's post on name change in Los Angeles: https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,125757.msg987650.html#msg987650

I was there a few minutes ago planning on giving the OP the link that you gave me but Daniel beat me to it. It was throughly written too. 

I changed my name and gender without a lawyer, I was a minor, so my parents filled out the papers, but we got some free help from Transgender Law Center
it was easy, no "trial" or anything. the balif stamped my name in like two minutes and the gender only took a second longer because the judge wanted to look up the code and make sure its legal to change a child's gender/ then the baliff (same as the one who did my name lol)  stamped it. never even met the judge

Quote from: RagingShadow on August 27, 2012, 11:14:43 PM
never even met the judge

That's how my divorce went. My ex and I hung around in the waiting area while our contact (is it a bailiff?) ran back and forth between us and the judge.

Well guys, I did it. I fill out the forms to my best knowledge with multiple research and have submitted to Riverside Court. I am petitioning to have my name AND gender change.

Form submitted: NC220, CM010, RI030, NC2340, NC200, NC110, and a notarize letter from my surgeon. After I got my court date I went straight to a local agency to advertise my Show of Causes. In case anyone is curious, court fee is $450 plus $30 for court reporter.

Now that I am sitting here for six week waiting for my court date, anxiety is kicking in. I am worried that the judge will deny my request or start throwing my hardball questions.

Any advice for preparation?

I'm betting the judge is more interested in "NC220, CM010, RI030, NC2340, NC200, NC110, and a notarize letter from my surgeon" than throwing you hardball questions. Good luck and thanks for the update, hugs, Devlyn

Quote from: Devlyn Marie on May 12, 2013, 08:37:53 PM
I'm betting the judge is more interested in "NC220, CM010, RI030, NC2340, NC200, NC110, and a notarize letter from my surgeon" than throwing you hardball questions. Good luck and thanks for the update, hugs, Devlyn

Thanks for the support Devlyn, I hope so too.

I haven't gotten my name changed, but from what I hear most of them seem to go through.

I wouldn't be too worried, the judge probably has other things on his/her mind. If it makes you feel better, I work for 3 probate judges (over here, name changes go through probate court) and they're really scatterbrained at times and the clerk does most of the reading. 

As long as the forms are in order, there is no earthly reason for you to be denied. California is pretty laid back about such things, although Riverside does tend to be on the conservative side. Still, I'd rather do stuff like this in Riverside than in certain states.

You should be fine--really. All the same, I'm eager to hear how it goes.