State law allows minors to be changed only if they are “evidently in the child’s greatest interest.”
The Mississippi Supreme Court ruled on April 17 that a minor woman undergoing so-called gender transition may not change her name to a more masculine name.
The Mississippi Supreme Court voted 8–1 to reject the petition of a minor identified as SM-B after Judge Tametrice Hodges, a Hinds County Chancery Court Judge Tametrice Hodges, was denied on November 21, 2023, after Judge Tametrice Hodges refused a request for change of name.
Maxwell told the truth about the incident.
At the age of 16 in July 2023, the minor, a female, began petitioning through her mother to change her legal name to a more masculine name. Her father also agreed to the change. The mother said she wanted to change the name of the child “to identify (the daughter’s) gender as a man.” She said her daughter’s “given name makes her transition more difficult.”
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The county judge held the hearing on November 6, 2023. The minor’s lawyer told the court that the petition was filed as part of the minor’s gender transition. The minor is “trying to change her name… because she is identified as a man and is known through the university, through the university, through the university, through the university, through the university, etc.”
On November 21, 2023, the judge signed an order denying the name change petition without prejudice. This means that the petition may be reconsidered in the future. The judge said, “The petitioner has determined that (a) the petitioner should mature before the name change is decided by the court.” Minor sued, the opinion stated.
“In most cases (Chansery Court judges) grant minor names changes that are naturally not conditioned. As can be seen here, some (Chans Court judges) believe it is within their discretion to decide whether to accept or reject a name change. The Mississippi Supreme Court must clarify the legal standard for this issue.”
The Mississippi Supreme Court in the new decision stated in “the petitioner’s main appeal discussion was that (the judge) had no discretion to reject the petition to change the name, as it was not disputed and both parents agreed.”
“But Mississippi law says that isn’t the case,” the opinion said.
The court previously held that individuals are generally free to change her name, but the principle “does not apply to minors.”
“Instead, it applies to “someone in the mature age.” ”
Contrary to minor arguments, the opinion stated that the county judge would have the discretion “to allow or deny the minor’s requested name change” and that when doing so, it could only approve petitions that change the minor’s name.
King Judge Leslie objected, saying the court records were “sufficient.”
The minors, mothers and fathers were ready to testify, but instead the court “had a bench meeting from the records, clearly taking no evidence, and then concluded the hearing,” King wrote.
“It is clear that further development of the facts in this case is necessary,” Justice writes.
King wrote that he would invalidate the court’s decision and send the court back to that court for further hearing.
“The record is missing and this court has not been able to properly determine whether this court has rejected the petition on correct or false grounds,” he wrote.
