The Mississippi Supreme Court has upheld a previous decision rejecting a transgender teenager’s request for a legal name change. This decision follows the initial petition filed nearly two years ago by a 16-year-old undergoing a gender transition, who sought to change their name to align with their gender identity. The petition had the full consent of both of the teenager’s parents. However, in November 2023, Hinds County Chancery Judge Tametrice Hodges denied the request, citing concerns about the teen’s maturity.
The Supreme Court’s ruling was an 8-1 decision affirming the chancery court’s denial. The majority opinion stated that despite the petition being uncontested and parentally approved, Mississippi law grants the chancellor discretion in such matters. The dissenting opinion came from Presiding Justice Leslie King, who argued that the case record lacked sufficient detail, making it difficult for the Supreme Court to affirm whether the lower court’s decision was justified. Justice King suggested vacating the chancery court’s order and remanding the case for further consideration.
The mother of the teen originally filed the petition in July 2023, seeking to change the first, middle, and last names of her child. The proposed changes included adopting a more masculine first name, incorporating her middle name as the child’s middle name, and using only the father’s last name, as opposed to the current hyphenated surname.