I am licensed as an attorney in Rhode Island and Massachusetts and willing
to provide you with some information on name changes in Rhode Island. Below
is a short discussion that may help your readers.
You can change your name by yourself, but an attorney is recommended due
to some of the unique situations in Rhode Island. Name changes are done by
the probate court in the city or town that the person resides in. Each city
or town has an appointed judge. You need to get a copy of the petition from
either the court clerk or from the states online website
http://www.state.ri.us/archives/probateforms.htm
Complete the form fully, obtain a certified copy of your birth certificate
(it can't be from a church) and pay the fee. The court will give you a hearing
date and do a BCI or criminal check on you and advertise legal notices in
the local newspaper. Make sure you have given a reason for the name change,
such as "that is the name people know me by or the name is more consistent
with my appearance." The hearing will be held at the probate court. In
most cities and towns, this is the council chambers in the city hall. You
may want to arrive early since some towns require you to sign in before your
case is heard. If you're the last to sign in, you may be waiting hours to
be heard.
Because each city and town has a different judge, there is not a lot of consistency
as to how a judge may perceive your situation. This is where an attorney may
be helpful. You should avoid giving the judge any opportunity to deny the
petition based on fraud as this is the easiest way for a judge to deny a petition
if he/she is not trans friendly. Once the petition is granted, the clerk will
mail you a certified copy. If you were born in Rhode Island, you should get
another copy and forward it to the Health Department's Division of Vital Statistics
as a copy of your birth certificate is there. At the same time you can ask
for a new copy of your birth certificate showing only your new name.
A trans friendly lawyer is at http://www.robertlapointe.com/
