September 22, 2000

2:08 PM

Homophobic decisionin my home state is to be appealled. Requests to change one's name are very rarely denied. This judge has really stepped over the line by worrying about "the appearance of [the requester] being married. . . [and] . . . how this would appear to our neighbors, to our shopkeepers and to society at large."
posted by fpatrick (4 comments total)

Why does a judge have anything to do with name changes? It seems like the research of criminal history could easily be handled by a clerk. We are seemingly incapable of leaving one another alone.
I have been planning a name change for awhile now, the wife and I are choosing a new last name, I had no idea I might have to justify it to anyone. New Jersey needs a new judge.
posted by thirteen at 2:26 PM on September 22, 2000

thirteen: You won't have to justify it to anyone. When I did it I never even saw the judge. I'm sure it differs from one state to the next, but the only grounds for denying a petition anywhere - as far as I know - is that you are avoiding creditors or the police, or committing fraud. Or that you happened to get a wacky judge with a stick up their ass, but there's no predicting that, and all you can do is appeal it. You would win, but it won't be a problem in the first place, so don't worry about it.

-Mars
posted by Mars Saxman at 2:52 PM on September 22, 2000

Thanks Mars.
posted by thirteen at 4:12 PM on September 22, 2000

New Jersey is one of the most stiflingly conservative places I've ever been. The democrats there are all labor democrats. The towns feel ancient, like I imagine a city in Morocco or Italy must feel -- but rather than elegant or even historic they just look beat. In every direction is a landfill, liquor store, shopping mall, factory, neighborhood, or some combination of these things. They tell me New Jersey has beautiful forests and I admit the shore was fun when I was 5, but the Jersey in my head is no fun.
posted by sudama at 11:10 PM on September 22, 2000