No Title Change for You, Princess

Perez sought to alter her title to this image:

In Perez’s transient, she notes that the image could also be represented by way of textual content by typing “O(+>“. Perez acknowledges that the image depicted was first adopted by recording artist Prince Rogers Nelson (Prince). In 1993, Prince issued a press launch relating to the adoption of the title whereby he described it as “an emblem with no pronunciation.”

Perez acknowledged that requested the change as a result of “[t]he new title has a really non secular that means to [her].” Perez additional famous that “[she] now identif[ies] as this particular person.”

Nope, stated the courtroom:

Chapter 45 of the Texas Household Code governs the request for a reputation change of an grownup….[:]

The courtroom shall order a change of title beneath this subchapter for an individual apart from an individual with a remaining felony conviction or an individual topic to the registration necessities of Chapter 62, Code of Felony Process, if the change is within the curiosity or to the advantage of the petitioner and within the curiosity of the general public.

What constitutes “the curiosity or … good thing about the petitioner [or] … the curiosity of the general public” will not be described by the relevant statutes.

Whereas a petitioner’s “personal correct causes” and conscientious emotions concerning the necessity of being referred to as and referred to by a particular title could also be adequate causes to help a reputation change, a petitioner doesn’t have absolutely the proper to a reputation change by courtroom order…. As Perez acknowledges, the image to which she seeks to alter her title was initially adopted by pop star Prince. In her petition, Perez recognized the rationale for her requested change as “[t]he new title has a really non secular that means to [her].” Whereas we don’t doubt the sincerity of Perez’s intention, “[i]mposition by assuming the title of a star or different well-known entity … might negate the suitable to a authorized change of title.” See In re Erickson (Tex. Ct. App. 1977).

Though Perez doesn’t straight cite to the First Modification, strongly held spiritual beliefs don’t require a trial courtroom to grant a reputation change when the necessities of § 45.103 haven’t been happy. Among the many necessities in § 45.103 is that the title change be “within the curiosity or to the advantage of the petitioner and within the curiosity of the general public.”

The trial courtroom might have concluded that the title change was not within the curiosity of the general public as a result of the image to which Perez seeks the title change has no pronunciation and isn’t simply replicated by way of textual content, which can confuse or frustrate the general public, together with authorities entities, resembling regulation enforcement or the Social Safety Administration. See In re Muse (Tex. Ct. App. 2018) (concluding the trial courtroom didn’t abuse its discretion in denying the petitioner’s title change to “Lord Shawn-Lee Home of Muse” as solely a primary title with no surname). Thus, we can’t conclude that the trial courtroom abused its discretion by denying Perez’s request to alter her title….