This is a checklist for How to perform a legal name change and gender marker in Orleans Parish, Louisiana: 

- [ ] GO to Civil Court @421 Loyola St New Orleans, LA. Hours: 10am-12pm and 1pm-3pm.

- [ ] PARK across the street @Premium parking $7.25/hr, through mobile, or the app. DO NOT take food, or drink inside.

- [ ] DO take Driver’s license, or State-issued ID (I also took my social security card and passport but did not need them.)

- [ ] ENTER Suite 100 (all the way to the left and down the hall. You are going to the “Self-help area” which is the first office #101 on the left once you enter the suite.

- [ ] Tell them you would like to PETITION for a NAME CHANGE.

- [ ] FILL out the form they supply. They will also NOTARIZE it right then and there. Reason for name change listed: “Gender confirmation.”

- [ ] TAKE the notarized form up to the 4th floor. Pro tip: The elevators are a little hinky so you might want to take the stairs.

- [ ] ENTER the office directly across from the stairs. They, will look over your form and tell you to pay the cashier at the office to the far left.

- [ ] The cashier had me COMPLETE the top part of another form they supplied.

- [ ] LIST “Leon Cannizzaro” as the defendant and your current name as the plaintiff. Pro tip: TAKE a blue ink pen!

- [ ] PAY the cashier $505, they will only accept CASH, or MONEY ORDER for the exact amount. They will give you one certified and one regular copy.

- [ ] TAKE extra CASH if you want another certified copy $9 ($3/page) and/or a regular copy $3 ($1/page) but you can wait for the final copy.

- [ ] You will have a chance to do this with the judge’s approval so don’t sweat it, if you don’t get any.

- [ ] TAKE your receipt and form to the filing office 2 doors down from the cashier. This is where they will provide you with the copies and you will LEAVE the original to be filed there.

- [ ] GO to the District Attorney’s office @619 S. White St New Orleans, LA. Hours: 10am-12pm and 1:30-3pm.

- [ ] If you catch Jay Main during those hours great. If not, you can leave the form there and they will have you call him around 1:30pm when he returns from lunch. I was told that he will call to verify spelling is all correct.

- [ ] When I called Jay Main’s office @504-822-2414 for 1:30pm. He said, “yes, I see the petition for [full birth name] to change to [full chosen name], keeping your last name?” I confirmed and he said to call in 7-10 days to confirm completion.

- [ ] This is where you WAIT for him to file a “reply” which he first said to check back in a week. Then, said a week from Friday making it 10-day turnaround (it ended up sitting at this office for months, hopefully that won’t happen to you.)

- [ ] Call them back when they indicate and if all is completed, GET your Approved Name Change @the DA’s office (see above.)

- [ ] Then, take the ANC form back to the last place you left the form @Civil Court (see above.)

- [ ] Here is where you want cash to BUY some certified and regular copies. Though, they gave (my wife) a few for free.

Hope this helps!

Sharing is Caring,
Dr. Jon Chandler