0:00 Hello everybody, this is Jack Fonder with the Transformation Project, and this is the process for, filling out the paperwork for name change only.

0:16 In video I'm just gonna walk you through how to fill out the paperwork, if you have additional questions or if you need further support, we can set up a time to meet in person or over Zoom.

0:27 So the first page you're gonna fill out is a case filing statement. Everybody who files a petition at the courthouse needs to fill out one of these, and when you fill this out, please start on this top line, or you'll run out of room.

0:39 you're gonna do the top line, which is your full name, as it currently is right now, your physical address, and then your mailing address if it's different.

0:47 If it's the same, you can check this box right here. need to provide a phone number. One of these three.

0:53 You don't need to provide all three. Your social security number, your date of birth, and your driver's license number. the rest of this form you can leave blank unless you're planning on using an attorney.

1:05 the next page, you're gonna fill out this top left-hand corner. On all of these pages, you're not gonna fill out the very top bar or anything on the right.

1:13 That will be filled out at the courthouse. So the top part is going to be what I'm what your name is currently now.

1:21 And then the second line is going to be what you would like to change your name to. The paperwork is barely self-explanatory.

1:29 It does tell you what exactly they're looking for, but the wording can be confusing. So again, when you're filling this out, if you need extra help, please feel free to reach out.

1:37 current name, and then your current name again on your birth certificate. this is gonna It's gonna be your age, your date of birth, it's gonna be It does ask what your gender at birth was.

1:48 You can just circle one or the other. this is gonna ask for the county and the state that you were born in, your mother's maiden name, and you will need to know your mom's date of birth, and where she was born, county and state, and you will need the same information then for your father.

2:07 If you have any questions about that, again, please reach out. this is gonna ask for your address, and it's gonna to ask you about.

2:14 If you a resident of whatever county you live in for more than six months prior to filing this petition. far as stating a reason, there really is no right or wrong answer.

2:25 Most people will put, that they are, have, have recently transitioned, or that they have completed transitioning, from male to female, female to male, or they roll right, gender dysphoria, there's really no right or wrong, just whatever feels right to both put in there is fine.

2:41 if the judge wants more explanation, they will ask at the court hearing. this is stating your name, you're requesting your legal name to be changed from what it is now to, and then you would put your proposed new name.

2:53 this page does need to be filled out with a notary, as you'll see right here on the bottom, so please do not fill any of this out and do not sign anything until you are in the presence of a notary public.

3:04 The clerk will of course, officers are notary public, so when you go to file your petition, at the courthouse, you can just sign it then and you will need a form of ID, a driver's license, is preferable, when signing this.

3:16 So I just want to reiterate, do not sign this page, do not fill this page out at all until you go to file your petition.

3:23 this page, you can fill out your current name and your proposed name. Your current name right here, and then your current name again, and then what you want to change it The rest of this will be filled out when you go file your petition.

3:39 This is going to give you your date and time, and the judge, and all of that information. So when you file, the clerk of court's officer will fill all of this information out for and you'll take that with you and bring it back to court.

3:51 You're going to list the full name on your birth certificate, your birth date, and what state you were born in, what county, and the town, and then your mother's full maiden name, The rest of this will be filled out by the judge, including all of this, and this is where the judge would sign it.

4:21 the paperwork for name change only. Again, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out. After you fill out the paperwork, you're going to go to the courthouse, to the clerk of court's office, and you will tell them you are filing a petition for a name change.

4:40 It is a $70 fee to file a petition, and then they will give you some of that paperwork back to bring with you when you come back in for your court date.

4:49 After you leave the courthouse from that process, you're going to find a newspaper in the county. And you will need to publish in that newspaper for four consecutive weeks a notice of your name change.

5:02 You do not need to know what to write in the newspaper. Newspapers know how to do this process. You will just contact a newspaper and tell them you need to publish a notice of a name change.

5:12 they will ask what your current name is, and then what you're changing your name to, and that is all the information that they will need.

5:17 And again, that needs to be published for four weeks consecutively. And the cost for that is anywhere from $40 to $50 up to, you know, $80.

5:26 It just depends on the newspaper. so any newspaper in the county that you live in can help you with that.

5:32 you go to the courthouse to file this petition, they're going to give you a court date that is six weeks from the date that you filed.

5:39 That gives you two-week buffer time to, find a newspaper to begin your publication. And then after the publication is completed, the newspaper.

5:49 Will then mail you an affidavit, which is your proof of publication. so it's usually about six weeks after, when you file, when you go to your court date, you're going to bring all of the paperwork that you filled out.

6:00 You're going to bring your birth certificate and another form of ID and make sure you have your affidavit of proof of publication in the newspaper.

6:09 However, the judge will call you up, they will ask if it's still your intention to change your name, they may ask you the reason, they may not, and then they will email you.

6:17 Either give you, an approval or a denial and they'll give you reasoning either way. we do not typically see denials for name change, they usually go pretty smoothly.

6:26 if it is approved, you will go down to the clerk of courts again and you can get certified copies of that name change order that you can use to then, change other documentation.

6:36 you do get a denial, you are able to appeal that denial one time. so you would basically just go through the process again to change your name and start over.

6:48 you are needing additional support with this process, we can help you. I can help you in person by helping you fill out the paperwork.

6:54 I can also go to the courthouse with you, to file the petition as support. And I can also be at the court hearing with you as well if you are needed.

7:03 If you do not live close by and you aren't able to come in in person, I can recommend also offer support via Zoom or a phone call.

7:11 And then we do have financial support to help with the cost of filing the petition as well as publication in the newspaper.

7:18 And again, if you need anything else or if you have any further questions, you can reach me at jack@ransformationprojectsd.org or you can give me a call at 605-534-4046.