![Lawx390_0](https://www.advocate.com/media-library/lawx390-0.jpg?id=32718644&width=1200&height=876)
CONTACTStaffCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
A circuit court judge in Virginia, who originally ruled in October that a woman could not take the last name of her lesbian partner, reversed that decision, ruling that her name change could go forward.
Leigh Anne Ruth Hunter and her partner, Jennifer Beth Surber, both petitioned to use Hunter as their middle name and Surber as their last name. Judge C. Randall Lowe originally ruled that Surber could change her name but rejected Hunter's filing because while "the petitioner and her partner to hold themselves out as a married couple," same-sex marriage is banned in Virginia. Therefore, Lowe ruled that the name was requested "for fraudulent purposes."
The couple have been together for eight years and are raising a daughter together. They wanted to share the name to reflect their solidarity as a family, according to the American Civil Liberties Union, which represented them in court.
The couple filed again in November to revisit their proposed name change. ACLU of Virginia legal director Rebecca Glenberg argued that the name change did not violate the state's marriage law because it did not give either of the women any of the responsibilities or benefits that marriage would institute.
Lowe wrote Friday, reconsidering his October opinion, "the Court finds the name change would not be made for a fraudulent purpose and reverses the prior findings of the Court."
The name change will take effect after the judge signs a final order, which is expected shortly, according to the ACLU.
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Meet all 37 of the queer women in this season's WNBA
April 17 2024 11:24 AM
Here are the 15 gayest travel destinations in the world: report
March 26 2024 9:23 AM
21+ steamy photos of Scotland’s finest gay men in Elska Glasgow
February 01 2024 10:07 PM
More Than 50 of Our Favorite LGBTQ+ Moms
May 12 2024 11:44 AM
Latest Stories
How the 2024 Paris Olympics could become a force to reverse climate change
July 25 2024 6:40 PM
Joe Biden and the lesson of never forgetting where you came from
July 25 2024 4:06 PM
Tom Daley goes down on all fours to test new Olympic beds
July 25 2024 2:58 PM
Kamala Harris make a cameo in RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 9 finale
July 25 2024 1:59 PM