Name Change Seal...allowed for transgender only?
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Iowa
Hello. I'm a male who legally changed my name about a year ago. I had grown up with a very "nerdy" name, and my entire life was never happy with it. I had a strong dislike for my given name (and nicknames) since I was 5 years old. Couldn't use my middle name...I disliked it even more. I was named this particular name because of family tradition, although it only caused insecurity my entire life. Some may argue this builds character, but I personally was never happy with it.
Anyways, in the state I live in, absolutely everything is viewable public record online. If someone gets divorced, you can see who their lawyer was, how much each party was entitled to. If someone is taken to small-claims court for an unpaid bill, you can see how much they are ordered to pay back by month, which allows you to have an idea how much this particular individual earns.
So, with a name change, you can see the old and new name, and unlike everything else, it does not say "State vs. _____", it says "Name Change: RE: _____"
Here, it is just a filing process, you don't actually meet with the judge. I had requested with the clerk that I do, but I was told the judge was not available.
A few days ago, I'm reading an article profiling 3 transgendered people in Iowa in a local university newspaper. It explained they had legally changed their names, and the article said what their previous names in their birth gender were. I decide to search this on the Iowa Courts Website.
When you search their old name, you can still see minor infractions...but you cannot see "Name Change: RE: _____". Meaning, for some reason they were allowed to seal their previous name, but want people to know their story regardless explaining the purpose of the article.
For me, it causes problems in the respect that people may think there is some bizarre reason (like I changed it to avoid my past, but an ex-convict cannot change their name in Iowa), may think it is a sexuality issue as well (my new name could be considered somewhat androgynous - although more commonly male).
I've applied for several jobs that I'm overqualified for, never to receive calls back. I'm not sure if this holds any bearing on it or not, but I also have a rare last name and when my last name is searched by itself...at the very top of the list (or top 5), it says "Name Change: RE _____". Then you click that, and it shows it.
This has been a very personal journey for me, and something I don't want to telegraph to the entire world. I have some extended family I don't get along with well, and I can see them using this if they found it as a means to embarrass me to everyone. It's something I'd like to keep private, and I will tell people accordingly when I'm ready.
I've spoken with a few local family law attorneys about it, and they've told me there's nothing I can do, besides move to a new state and try to forget about it. Basically, that Iowa doesn't allow anything removed, regardless of civil/criminal matters. Someone can be found "not guilty", and the details of their case will still show up, but it can never be removed.
I didn't know that there was some sort of provision that allowed transgendered people to have their name change sealed. You can't find anything on it, but 3 transgendered people I looked up from the article that claimed to legally change their names - and it did not show up on the Iowa Courts Website. There has to be a reason for that, and it is not pure chance.
I realize I could probably make this argument, but my concerns are.
A. The strange nature of the topic, a regular guy like myself, admitting to the court I've searched transgendered people online regarding name change in Iowa (how that reflects on me) and the sheer oddness of changing your name is something I'm trying to distance myself from by privatizing it
B. The slight chance local media might somehow find out about this, and write a story on it.
Does anyone here think I should pursue a name change seal, using this argument? I was unaware of this until recently. Possibly thought I could make a due process argument, it shouldn't not be allowed for one segment of society to seal it, but not another. Essentially, a form of reverse discrimination. A regular person cannot seal their name change, but a transgender can, yet this is still unaddressed and I cannot find any literature on it.
All replies/opinions appreciated.
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Iowa
Hello. I'm a male who legally changed my name about a year ago. I had grown up with a very "nerdy" name, and my entire life was never happy with it. I had a strong dislike for my given name (and nicknames) since I was 5 years old. Couldn't use my middle name...I disliked it even more. I was named this particular name because of family tradition, although it only caused insecurity my entire life. Some may argue this builds character, but I personally was never happy with it.
Anyways, in the state I live in, absolutely everything is viewable public record online. If someone gets divorced, you can see who their lawyer was, how much each party was entitled to. If someone is taken to small-claims court for an unpaid bill, you can see how much they are ordered to pay back by month, which allows you to have an idea how much this particular individual earns.
So, with a name change, you can see the old and new name, and unlike everything else, it does not say "State vs. _____", it says "Name Change: RE: _____"
Here, it is just a filing process, you don't actually meet with the judge. I had requested with the clerk that I do, but I was told the judge was not available.
A few days ago, I'm reading an article profiling 3 transgendered people in Iowa in a local university newspaper. It explained they had legally changed their names, and the article said what their previous names in their birth gender were. I decide to search this on the Iowa Courts Website.
When you search their old name, you can still see minor infractions...but you cannot see "Name Change: RE: _____". Meaning, for some reason they were allowed to seal their previous name, but want people to know their story regardless explaining the purpose of the article.
For me, it causes problems in the respect that people may think there is some bizarre reason (like I changed it to avoid my past, but an ex-convict cannot change their name in Iowa), may think it is a sexuality issue as well (my new name could be considered somewhat androgynous - although more commonly male).
I've applied for several jobs that I'm overqualified for, never to receive calls back. I'm not sure if this holds any bearing on it or not, but I also have a rare last name and when my last name is searched by itself...at the very top of the list (or top 5), it says "Name Change: RE _____". Then you click that, and it shows it.
This has been a very personal journey for me, and something I don't want to telegraph to the entire world. I have some extended family I don't get along with well, and I can see them using this if they found it as a means to embarrass me to everyone. It's something I'd like to keep private, and I will tell people accordingly when I'm ready.
I've spoken with a few local family law attorneys about it, and they've told me there's nothing I can do, besides move to a new state and try to forget about it. Basically, that Iowa doesn't allow anything removed, regardless of civil/criminal matters. Someone can be found "not guilty", and the details of their case will still show up, but it can never be removed.
I didn't know that there was some sort of provision that allowed transgendered people to have their name change sealed. You can't find anything on it, but 3 transgendered people I looked up from the article that claimed to legally change their names - and it did not show up on the Iowa Courts Website. There has to be a reason for that, and it is not pure chance.
I realize I could probably make this argument, but my concerns are.
A. The strange nature of the topic, a regular guy like myself, admitting to the court I've searched transgendered people online regarding name change in Iowa (how that reflects on me) and the sheer oddness of changing your name is something I'm trying to distance myself from by privatizing it
B. The slight chance local media might somehow find out about this, and write a story on it.
Does anyone here think I should pursue a name change seal, using this argument? I was unaware of this until recently. Possibly thought I could make a due process argument, it shouldn't not be allowed for one segment of society to seal it, but not another. Essentially, a form of reverse discrimination. A regular person cannot seal their name change, but a transgender can, yet this is still unaddressed and I cannot find any literature on it.
All replies/opinions appreciated.
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