Tag Archive for: change of name

How to Legally Change Your Name in Florida: A Step-by-Step Guide

/in //Tags: , , , , , , by

Are you considering changing your name in Florida? Whether it’s for personal, professional, or other reasons, the process can seem daunting. However, with a clear understanding of the steps involved and the assistance of an experienced attorney, you can navigate this legal procedure smoothly. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you through the process.

Step 1: Meet the Residency Requirement

First and foremost, you must be a resident of Florida. The courts will require proof of your residency, such as a driver’s license, state ID, or utility bill.  Even if you were born outside of Florida, the Courts will grant current residents a legal name change.

Step 2: Fill Out A Name Change Worksheet

To initiate the name change process, it helps to complete a name change worksheet.  We can provide you with a copy of this form, which includes a checklist in plain English of all the information that you will need to gather for the petition for a legal name change. Among other things, you’ll need to provide your current name, the name you wish to adopt, and the reason for the change. Be honest and detailed, as the court will review your reasons thoroughly.  If you have trouble filling out the form, we can help you.

Read more →

Client Review: Name Change for Transgender Child

/in , , //Tags: , , , , , , by

We feel so fortunate when our clients take the time to let others know about the services we offer.  A client recently left a review on Family Diplomacy’s St. Petersburg Google Review Page to discuss how we helped his family achieve a legal name change for his transgender child.

As I am required to state by the Florida Bar, please note that we cannot guarantee the same or similar results in your matter, but we welcome you to contact us to learn more.

Below is the text of the review:

Read more →

Gender Non-Conforming Legal Name Change

/in , //Tags: , , , , , , , , , , by

If you are gender non-conforming and living in Florida, you may not know where to turn to change your legal name.  At Family Diplomacy, we pride ourselves in offering a welcoming environment.  From the moment you contact us, we will listen to and address your concerns, determine your eligibility for a name change, and stand by your side throughout the legal process.

We are here for you.

Gender Non-Conforming Definitions

For those reading this post who may not be familiar with this term, the Human Rights Campaign defines gender non-conforming as “[a] broad term referring to people who do not behave in a way that conforms to the traditional expectations of their gender, or whose gender expression does not fit neatly into a category. While many also identify as transgender, not all gender non-conforming people do.”

PFLAG, which describes itself as “the first and largest organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people, their parents and families, and allies,” defines gender non-conforming as follows:

A term for those who do not follow gender stereotypes. Often an umbrella for nonbinary genders (see TGNC). Though fairly uncommon, some people view the term as derrogatory, so they may use other terms including gender expansive, differently gendered, gender creative, gender variant, genderqueer, nonbinary, agender, genderfluid, gender neutral, bigender, androgynous, or gender diverse. PFLAG National uses the term gender expansive. It is important to respect and use the terms people use for themselves, regardless of any prior associations or ideas about those terms.

For purposes of this article, we use the term gender non-conforming.  However, if you prefer another term, please let us know when you contact us and we will respect your preference.

Eligibility for Florida Gender Non-Conforming Name Change

Regardless of where you were born, if you live in the Sunshine State, Florida courts have jurisdiction to change your legal name.  You may petition for a name change if you are an adult, and a parent may petition on your behalf if you are a child.  Once your petition for change of name is filed, the request will often be granted unless a Court finds that (i) you have improper or illegal motives in seeking the name change, (ii) your civil rights are suspended (for example, by being convicted of a felony), or (iii) granting you a name change will invade the property rights (e.g., intellectual property rights) of others.

Read more →

Video: SNL Name Change

/in //Tags: , , , , , , by

This past Saturday, Saturday Night Live returned to the airwaves for its 46th Season.  As a family law lawyer who has helped countless people throughout Florida change their legal names, I was especially intrigued and delighted by the following sketch:

 

Read more →

Changing My Transgender Child’s Legal Name

/in , //Tags: , , , , , , , , , , by

Being a supportive parent can oftentimes be challenging, but you and your transgender child may have come to the conclusion that it is time for a legal name change.  Is it possible to change a transgender child’s name to match his or her identity?

So long as both legal parents are in agreement, in most circumstances you can change your minor child’s legal name.

Petition for Change of Legal Name

In Florida, legal name changes are accomplished through the court system.  Accordingly, you will need to petition a court in the county in which you live for your child’s name change.  The petition must include information such as:

Read more →

Tiger King Changed His Name…So Can You!

/in //Tags: , , by

Joseph Maldonado-Passage has been known by many names.  Tiger King.  Joe Exotic.  Joseph Schreibvogel.  But the legal name, according to reports, of this convicted felon whose story has become a Netflix obsession is Joseph Maldonado-Passage.

The Tiger King’s surname is in honor of a late husband and a current husband.  Reports are not clear whether his name was legally changed via marriage or through a court process.  Regardless, if you are a Florida resident, chances are that you are eligible for a name change.

Read more →

A New Legal Name for the New Year

/in , //Tags: , , , , by

The new year can be a time for turning over a new leaf, and it may be a time when you are considering adopting a new legal name.  Whether you are looking to share a last name with a partner, honor a loved one, adjust your name to reflect your gender identity, reconnect with recently discovered family, correct errors on your birth certificate, or just plain refresh your identity, we are a collaborative family law firm that can help you petition for a new legal name.

A New Legal Name Requires a Court Judgment

You may not realize that the process of petitioning for a new legal name is a court process.  In fact, section 68.07 of the Florida Statutes lays out the legal requirement to change your name and what must be filed with the court.  Under the name change law, you must swear under oath whether, among other things, the following apply to you:

Read more →

Manafort’s Daughter Changed Her Name, And So Can You!

/in //Tags: , , , , by

Do you have a father who has done things that you are not exactly proud of?  Do you have a parent who has gained notoriety in your community?  Are the actions or reputation of a relative beginning to negatively impact you?

Well, according to a report in the Tampa Bay Times, Paul Manafort’s daughter decided to do something about it.  Paul Manafort is the former campaign manager to President Trump who was convicted for tax and bank fraud and pleaded guilty to illegal lobbying on behalf of Ukrainian interest.  Because of this and the spectacle it has caused, his daughter decided to legally change her last name.

And, you know what?  In most cases, you, too, can change your legal name.

Required Petition for A Legal Name Change

Section 68.07 of the Florida Statutes lays out the requirements of a name change.

You must file a petition with the court that is signed under oath and includes, among other things, the following information:

  • That you live in the county where you are petitioning for a name change;
  • Whether you have ever gone through bankruptcy;
  • Whether you have ever been arrested for or charged with a crime;
  • Whether you have ever been required to register as a sexual predator or a sexual offender;
  • Whether you have ever been successfully sued;
  • That you are not seeking a name change for any illegal or ulterior purpose; and
  • That your civil rights have never been suspended or, if they have, that your rights have been fully restored.

By the way, just because you have gone through bankruptcy, lost a lawsuit, or have been arrested does not necessarily prevent you from obtaining a name change.

Background Check for A Legal Name Change

You will also need to have your fingerprints electronically scanned for a background check.  The check is conducted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and FBI to confirm that the information in your petition is correct.

Name Change Lawyer

Once you have filed your petition and completed the background check, in most counties you will need to go in front of a judge to complete the process.  The judge swears you in, and you provide testimony and any evidence that is requested to prove up your petition.

Because the paperwork involved in the name change process can be onerous, and because most people do not have a lot of experience dealing with the court system, you should consider having a name change lawyer by your side throughout the process.

You may relate to Manafort’s daughter’s desire “to separate myself and my work from public perception that has nothing to do with the person that I am.”

We can help you do that.

Contact a Florida Name Change Lawyer

Trans Name Change in Tampa Bay

/in , //Tags: , , , , , , , , by

Do you want your legal identity to match who you are?  At Family Diplomacy, we have been a cutting edge law firm serving the needs of LGBT clients.  We can help you apply for a change of your legal name and gender marker to sync with your gender identity.  In sum, we can help you with a trans name change.

Trans Name Change

Though Florida is often behind the times, with name changes the state is pretty liberal.  So long as your civil rights are not suspended, and you are not seeking a change of name for an illegal or ulterior purpose, your petition of change of name can be granted by a circuit court judge.

Read more →

Tampa Bay Times Column on Transgender Name Changes

/0 Comments/in , //Tags: , , , by

Tampa Bay Times Columnist Sue Carlton writes in the September 26, 2016 edition of the newspaper about a growing trend in Florida Family Law Courts: Petitions for Change of Legal Name by transgender individuals.

In Florida, courts grant requests for changes of name relatively freely.  So long as a person has not been convicted of a felony (or, if they have been convicted of a felony, then they must have had their civil rights restored), and that the person is not seeking the name change for an illegal or ulterior purpose (such as to avoid a debt or lawsuit), the court will generally grant your request for a name change.

However, you must take the required steps for a name change, including properly filing a petition, going through a background check by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Federal Bureau of Investigation, and appearing before a judge for questioning.

The fact that a person is changing a name from one that is associated with one gender to a name that is associated with a different gender should not make a difference.

Parts of the Tampa Bay Times article, A new frontier for Florida courts: Transgender name changes,  can be found after the jump:

Read more →