Name Change: What to say to the Judge

[2fish]

I've submitted my petition for a name change to the court. I will have my hearing in a few weeks. Not exactly sure when, but soon.

Question: What do I say my reason for a name change is?

I could say that:

I am seeking gender reassignment.
I want a name that reflects my affirmed gender.

So many possibilities! What do I say?

[LordKAT]

Jut about anything that doesn't say fraud. Simple as I like this name better to professional reasons, though trans reason works, too. I had to write it on my petition, so the judge just read it. He got a surprised face but, I wrote that I want the name I use to be my legal name.

[Mariah]

I mentioned my being transgendered in the petition. I wasn't asked anything beyond the explanation I listed on the petition. He signed it without question. I would say anything that you feel comfortable with that is a reason for your wanting to change your name. As long as they have no reason to suspect fraud they will sign the order. Hugs and Best of luck.
Mariah

[Jessica Merriman]

I put transitioning to female, period. I did get an exemption from posting it in the paper though due to my career and certain dangers inherit to my new name being identifiable with my old one. Like everyone has said previously make sure nothing reeks of fraud. 

[Lucaas]

"My birth name doesn't correlate with my gender identity" or "This preferred name better reflects my gender expression"

Edit to say that this is what a trans guy that I know through the Internet said when he was changing his name. I think it's a short and simple way of getting your point across and the court didn't ask him any questions.

[Jaime R D]

Just go with telling them that you're trans. I doubt they want you to go into any detail. That's all I put on my application for a name change, of course, I think its just a clerk of court that approves it where I am and I didn't have to appear in front of anyone.  Never even went to the courthouse myself, did it through my dad's lawyer.

[Sydney_NYC]

I also put that it in the petition. I said that I am transgender and transitioning from male to female. Once it was assigned to a judge, the court clerk called me in my cell phone and asked my if the times assigned were OK (I had just received the court date in the mail.) She then said to dress as myself in how I feel comfortable in. I told her I was already full time female and the clerk said that was great.

On the court date I was myself and the judge was very polite and profession. She apologized ahead of time for having to use male pronouns in the proceeding as they were being recorded. During the preceding she did ask if I was on HRT and how long and how long I had been living as female. I told her and from that point on the addressed me with female pronouns. At the end, she congratulated me and wished me good luck and thanked me for being prompt and also said I looked fantastic.

Most of the other questions were asking things to make sure I didn't have any outstanding debt, lawsuits or pending criminal charges I was trying to escape from or commit any fraud. I didn't have any so no issue there. It was all professional and didn't have any issues.

It's always best to be honest and upfront. Most judges just want to make sure there isn't any fraud going on.

[Natalie]

Answer the questions. That is about it.

[Jill F]

I never even spoke to a judge.  I filed my papers, got a court date SEVEN months later, showed up with about 15 other people, then the clerk called us all one at a time to say that we were approved and we could go wait in a line to pick up our papers.  That was it. 

The next day I went to the Social Security office to change it there and a few days later at the DMV.

[blink]

I wasn't willing to up the odds of having an incident like Jacob Haley did so just put a generic "Dislike birth name, this suits me better".

[Miss_Bungle1991]

I just put "General Usage" in the required blank on the paper. I answered 5 questions in front of the judge and that was it.

[kaye]

Can't imagine how annoying that must be; having to get up I'm front of a judge and have to try and justify your name change.

Changing name is done via mail where I am so on the application where it asks for a reason you simply indicate that you're transgender or something along those lines.

[tgchar21]

@Lucaas and blink - Although it probably wouldn't matter, you might be safer to say that you don't like your *current* name instead of your *birth* name if you'd like to change your name on your birth certificate. It's the way things are legally defined, but when you refer to the name you're changing from as specifically your "birth name" that may imply to VS that you don't want it (the name that appears on your birth certificate) changed but rather like when you get married when you change other documents but not your BC. Now if you phrased it like "I want to change my birth name" that would not have issues - since unless otherwise indicated by context they often define "birth name" as what appears on your BC (accounting for any amendments or changes) and not our usual definition of the (wrong-gender) name you were given at birth. Like I said it's just a thought if you were born in and/or changing your name in a conservative area (where it's better to use an "alternative" reason rather than specifically mentioning your trans* status) to avoid VS from finding a reason not to change your BC.

[Delsorou]

I am seeking gender reassignment.
I want a name that reflects my affirmed gender.

This is very close to what I put on mine.

Of course, I never actually had to appear - they just processed everything and charged my card...

Still.  Honest, straightforward, direct are usually the way to go for me.  That would've been what I would say in a courtroom, too.

[Megumi]

When I went to court for my own name change not to long ago I was asked three questions and for the Judge to look me up and down. I live in the deep south in a bible thumping county. 

The first thing was the judge starred at me for about a minute or so then she asked these questions.

Am I changing my name to defraud someone or for any illegal purposes?
No ma'am. I am changing my name & gender marker to match my real identity.

Do I have any warrants out for my arrest?
No ma'am. I have never been arrested, nor committed any crimes so as far as I know there aren't any warrants out for my arrest.

Are you planning on doing anything illicit or immoral with your changed identity?
No ma'am. I just want to live my life peacefully and be the best that I can be with the correct identification.

Then she said Ok let me see your court order and she signed it right on the spot without even reading it.

I was REALLY pissed off that she asked me the third question. Typical transphobia in action where we are only doing this to do perverted things. SIGHHHH. Basically be respectful as you possibly can and answer the questions as truthful as possible and good luck as this can be a VERY stressful day.

[devention]

I put "I'm transitioning my gender from female to male" on mine, and I got the signed document back three days later.
It would've been the next day (it was signed the day I submitted it), but there was a weekend to deal with.