Name Changes For Gay and Lesbian Couples
Among the many services provided by Brady Morton PLLC, our firm also assists clients in legally changing their name. For gay and lesbian couples, one or both partners may desire to legally change their name to reflect their chosen family identity. The process for gay and lesbian couples is different from the process which allows a married woman to assume the last name of her husband, or to resume the use of her maiden name after divorce.
The decision to change your name is very important and is not a choice to be taken lightly. North Carolina law allows each adult to change his or her name only once, without being permitted to revert to his or her prior name1.
The process to petition to change one's legal name is very straightforward. We can assist you with preparing the supporting paperwork, posting notice at your county's courthouse, and petitioning the Clerk of Court. We will also provide instructions on how to ensure that your new legal name is reflected on all of your day-to-day papers and forms of identification. In addition, if you have existing estate planning documents, we can prepare new documents to reflect your new legal name, while acknowledging your former name.
While gay and lesbian couples may not be legally married in North Carolina and thus do not receive the same rights as a legally married couple, they can take many actions in the form of estate planning to help ensure that their interests as a family are protected. For more information on how you can help to protect your rights as a couple, please contact any of the estate planning attorneys of Brady Morton, PLLC today for a free consultation.
1 N.C. Gen. Stat. § 101-6.
