Oppinion Needed

[Katie Ashe]

I'm Changing my name leagly, but the hickcup it courts want me to post in local paper. I said I don't want to for saftey reasons. I'm passable as long as you don't get in my face, or I speak. I have a court date of Nov 27, 2007. I need to convince this judge to not make me post. If he agrees with me than I have a new name right a way, if not I have to wait up to 2 months. On my form for reason to change name, I put: I'm under professional medical care to change my gender and sex from "Male" to "Female". I have chosen a more appropriat name to live by. When I see him on the 27th, I'm pleading how, I've been looking for a job for over a year. My children have been tease at thier old school, now at a new school they have a fresh start. How posting in the papers will cause much undue attention to my family. I have no intentions of evading any leagal matters with my new name. Basiscally, I need your input as how to convince this judge (Male) that it is in my family's best interest to not post. All :2c: Welcomed ...

[Samantha B L]

Hi There Katie, I think if you just make it a strong point that you're not trying to get out of some former illegal act(your old name will be on file at the courthouse for anyone who needs it including bill collectors and all sorts of nuicanses). And you should also emphasize that you don't want your children to be objects of ridicule and harrassment. Even if the judge is a conservetive good old boy type and,sorry,even if he doesn't exactly like you because your TG/TS/CD he will see those as reasonable arguments. If it comes up you should mention that you're not trying to evade the same public announcements that everybody else has to do you are concerned about your children. My Dad and Mom both worked as reporters and they both told me that local papers all over the country used to post all sorts of picayune stuff about people like in the 30's,40's and sometimes even in the 50's and the early 60's. I understand what you're doing,hun. I'm out with a lot of the people I know but I'm very cautious not to let anybody know about my dressing that knows my Nephew from any of the places he's gone to school.
Good Luck and All The Best,Samantha

[Kris]

Katie,

Honey I think that using your starting over is a good reason. I think you explained yourself well in your post. Also I understand that there is a legal paper that is nation wide that most people don't read, unless they are lawyers and such.. maybe he will let you use that if he is stubborn about it.
I wish you luck..






Kris

[charllote34]

Katie i wish you all the luck in the world and hope everything goes to plan , i hope your kids dont get bullied to much and that you find some peace and stabillity in your life
ps english is my first language and i cant spell for toffee!!!

[Sharon]

The notices get published under "Legal Notices" that no one reads in newspapers that no one reads. This is an antiquated law that has been slow to be updated, but because of your concerns, it is actually to your benefit. Try to relax, and chances are that it will pass unnoticed by anyone who cares.

[Karren H]

Katie,

Honey I think that using your starting over is a good reason. I think you explained yourself well in your post. Also I understand that there is a legal paper that is nation wide that most people don't read, unless they are lawyers and such.. maybe he will let you use that if he is stubborn about it.
I wish you luck..
Kris

I agree with the pretty lady from the northwest country!! Ya convinced me!!

Karren

[Atanna]

Even if he makes you do it anyway, my thinking is along the same line as Sharon...most people don't even read the paper anymore, and the ones that do rarely or never look at that anyway, so you can take some comfort in that the whole town isn't to be looking at it, but I wish you luck regardless.

[trannie T]

If you live in a fairly large city the notice will be published in the legal newspaper which nobody reads, the only purpose for its existance is to publish legal notices which noody reads. If you live in a small town the notice will be published in the local paper and will be read by a very few people. The judge may be able to waive the requirement to publish or to give you an alternative. The requirement to publish the notice, though, is probably statutory and must e done. If you have to publish, don't worry, few of us read them and those that do will soon forget.

[beau]

you have to post it in a paper it does not say where you have to post it. my sis had to post some thing for her divorce. her lawyer said pick a small local town paper but not the one she lived. the bonus to this its cheaper than the bigger paper

[sterling12]

One of the main reasons for posting The Notice, is to make sure your creditors know about the change. And, if you owe them money they can do something about the situation.

If I were you, I would probably take in my latest credit report, show The Judge that you have notified any and all creditors, and letters of approval from those creditors would also be helpful.

And, because they are used to doing it one way and one way only.....he probably will still make you post your notice in The Paper. Nobody said it was going to be easy!

If there is a way around The system, perhaps one of our attorneys could comment.

Peace and Love, Joanie

[Veronica 1]

If you have the B***s, you could start a legal precedent. You do not want to publish because of the paranoia and unaccepptance of the general public of what you are doing. You have children that could be harmed, literally, due to the publication of the fact that you are transitioning. Check out the privacy act for any loopholes and I truly wish you the best of luck.

[Nicole Erin]

Yeah it is understandable as to why you would not want the paper to advertise this. BUT like said, no one will probably notice.
Right now you are worried cause just knowing it might be there. It is kind of like the first time any one of us wore anything femme and stepped out, we felt like a spotlight was following us.

This news will be tucked away in a part of the paper that probably no one looks at [if it even makes it], it will not be in big black print on the front page.

I think most states require it to be in some legal part of the newspaper.

Last but not least, if someone DID notice who knows you, you could always deny it, cause a lot of people have the same names.

[Sinthia]

In California, you can use any legal paper in your county to run your legal ad, so if you have that option, use a paper that is as far away as you can. The judge will probably help you with this request if you ask him.

[Susan.]

I like beau's advice about chosing the paper. However, I would fight it agressively if your name is going from something like Frank to Pixie. Also, it depends on your location. If you live in California, you should be okay. If you are in Texas, fight it.

[JoAnnDallas]

To me it would depend on how big a city you live in. Wife and I used to live in a small town in WV. The local newspaper was like a Tabloid, in the sense that everything was put in the paper. Every police run, every fire truck run, every ambulance run, all gun permits ( sport or concealed), all court cases (domestic and criminal), and all realestate tranactions (both selling and buying). Any thing that happen in the city that was public knowledge would end up in the paper. It even had articles about so and so's daughter/son coming to visit and etc. I used to read it every day because it was so interesting and funny at times. One day a call girl was arrested and not only was she in the paper, but all her clients by name and address.
Now the Dallas newspaper would not go that far. If it did, it would be so large that the carriers would not be able to throw it on your door step.

[Katie Ashe]

Thank for your :2c:, I think you all have a point. I like the Index card thingy, I keep practicing my speach, but get tung tied already, it should help I'll :thumbsup:. I'll usethe safety issues and give specific things that have happen to me, short and sweet. I hope for the best. Dawn is going with me for support. 2 kids yesterday were arguing weither or not I was a guy... I rolled down my window and said girl... it didn't help, cause one knew me. and the beat goes on...

[Katie Ashe]

I am using this as a "Index Card" talking points for the judge on Tuesday...

What do you think? Are you convinced?

Intentions:
I plan to live the rest of my life under the new name of Katie.

I have no intentions of fraudulent or illegal purposes of evasions of any debts.
I have absolutely no record, not even a parking ticket.

Name Changing is guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution, specifically the Fourteenth Amendment (Jech v. Burch 466 F.Supp. 714).

Exclusions:
With recent events with Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), Have being the transgender community was left out intentionally, I feel more at risk for further targeting of hate crimes on my family.

Medical: I have been turned away by Blue X Blue Shield after a long appeals process.

President Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26, 1990, which specifically excludes me.

Safety:
I am trying not to draw any undue attention to my children or my family.

I feel advertising this change to general public would add more stress to my family which is already struggling to blend into a society that does not accept them

Nov 19, 2007: FBI released that hate crimes against GLBT rose 8% last year, with 9,080 reported offenses in the U.S. alone, and 15% the year before that.

FBI: Gender hate crimes are the third most common type of hate crime behind race and religion.

Some miss treatment examples:
Both sides of our family have disowned us
I have been asked to leave stores and not come back, cause they don’t want my kind there
Threats of the cops being called
When using public rest rooms, employees have been called to watch me
Employment has been an issue for 13 months now
We no longer go to church, due to its wide un-acceptance
I have been followed out of the store once
Elderly have picked a fight with me in a parking lot, complaining how I’m a disgrace
I was disciplined a my last job for non-conformity of expected gender

My children were harassed and bullied at Dorman Elementary for 2 years, and now at Dugan Middle School they have a fresh start.

Conclusion:
I do not feel in the best interest of my family’s safety, the general public need not know of my name change, except for conduction of lender and business matters.

[Katie Ashe]

:Party2: I am Now Leagelly Katie Ashe, I was called before the judge, was sworn in, waiting after a long silence, He asked the court Assist what statue it was for name change. She started to say Mass Chptr 210, I cut right in and said section 13... All eyes on me now. The judge said ok then. Then I started telling him the sec outline. He said please I have to read this. I though I crossed the line there, more long silence, then BANG, I'm goning to aprove your waiver, pick up your doc't later at the desk (It will be ready tomarrow morning). The whole defense I prepared, I was worried about was never needed. :twirl: Hooooraaaay For ME.....

[kassandra richard]

Way to go. Sounds like you impressed the judge with your preparedness.

Kassandra

[Shelly Preston]

Congratulations Katie :hugs:

[SherriePall]

Katie -- I would doublecheck that all courthouse notices aren't routinely checked by the newspapers of the area. It could be an automatic thing where newspaper reporters just go into the courthouse and pick up all the court happenings. Please doublecheck on this!

[Atanna]

Nice job :thumbsup: