Leif is running around naked with a magnifying glass.

Tell him yes, it does matter, but its years before he should worry about it.

Anybody else watching InJustice ? I'm 99.9% sure the "mystery symbol" is a coptic cross

Does anyone know how you change your name, and what it involves after its been legally done?

I know in most states you get a freebie when you get married or divorced and you can change it however you want.

Sue, I made it home even though the bus driver wanted to take me all the way to Sackville. *gah*

Sue and I went to see Capote tonight. I fell asleep near the end but I think that was more due to my sleepiness and less due to the slow pace of the movie.

Sue, I made it home even though the bus driver wanted to take me all the way to Sackville. *gah*

Sackville!! Yikes! That was a close call.

I think it depends where you live, SA, and what you're changing it from/to. I don't use the name on my birth certificate, but have never done anything formal, and at this point, the birth cert is the only place where that name is -- my SS card, passport, etc., all have the name I actually use. The passport was the most recent time I had to show the birth cert, I think, and I just asked if it could say Jesse.

Does anyone know how you change your name, and what it involves after its been legally done?

I went to a lawyer who handled it for me. It was fairly straightforward. I filed paperwork stating that I wanted to change my name and I was not doing it to avoid prosecution or welch on debts or defraud anyone. Once the motion was filed with the court, a legal notice was published in a local newspaper for four weeks, I think. Then proof of publication was filed with the court, at which time the motion was granted and I got a certified copy of the motion from the court.

Once I had the certified documents, I went to the DMV, Social Security and the Passport offices, I think. I just showed them the paperwork, along with my current government ID and, voila, everything got put in my new last name. Of course, I was 18 at the time so it wasn't like a million credit cards or anything to change.

I think it depends where you live, SA, and what you're changing it from/to.

The reason I ask is because I want to change my name from SA T. to SA A., taking my mother's surname. But I didn't know if, for example, I did it before I graduated college, whether I'd have to get my passport changed, my birth cert, driver's license, etc changed; and whether my new name would show up on my diploma. And how much it would cost, how much it would affect my life, etc.

cereal:

Thanks, Kristen, that's really helpful. Do you have to do it in your home state? And do you have to go through a lawyer?

I don't use the name on my birth certificate, but have never done anything formal, and at this point, the birth cert is the only place where that name is .

Using Annie Oakley inspired too many questions?

I did it my home county, which was Kings (Brooklyn). I'm not sure if we had to do it there or we just did it there because that's where I was born and still lived. This was about 15 years ago so we just went to some Jacoby & Meyers dude because we didn't know how else to do it. (The legal fees were a birthday present from my mom.) Nowadays, you can probably do it yourself. I'm sure there are forms online. I mean, when I became a business last year, I did the ficitious name filing myself and it was fairly painless.

You might want to look into local legal publications in your area. The Daily Journal here had a service where I could send them my paperwork and they'd handle the filing, the publication and the filing of the proof of publication. Their fee was a lot less than I would have paid a lawyer.

Also, you do need a certified copy of your birth certificate. I remember this because we had to go to the courthouse to get one.