iStock
State urges judges to uphold felon name change restrictions
-
The Associated Press
iStock
(Pittsburgh) — A lawyer with the Pennsylvania attorney general’s office says a panel of judges should uphold a state law that bars some convicted felons from legally changing their names.
Oral argument was held by Commonwealth Court on Thursday in Pittsburgh regarding the case brought by three transgender women.
The attorney general’s office argues that overturning that provision of the Name Change Act could frustrate employers seeking accurate background checks.
The women can’t change their masculine first names because of the 1998 state law that was designed to prevent fraud.
The women’s lawyer says it’s unfair to assume that all convicted felons who want to change their names have fraudulent purposes.
The Purple Buck Newsletter
Get insights into WITF’s newsroom and an invitation to join in the pursuit of trustworthy journalism.
