Man being accused of fraud by the state because he took wife's last name after marriage

[davidn3600]

Last edited Tue Jan 29, 2013, 07:00 PM - Edit history (2)

Florida man accused of fraud after name change in 'act of love'

MIAMI (Reuters) - A newly married South Florida man who opted to take his wife's last name is fighting the state's Department of Motor Vehicles after it suspended his driving license on grounds of fraud.

Real estate investor Lazaro Sopena offered to change his name following his 2011 marriage to Hanh Dinh in order to help his wife's Vietnamese family perpetuate their family surname.

Shortly after their marriage, Lazaro Dinh obtained a new passport and Social Security card and changed his bank account and credit cards before applying to update his drivers license.

"It was an act of love. I have no particular emotional ties to my last name," said Dinh, 40, who was born in Cuba and came to the United States at the age of 11 in 1984.

Rest of story:
http://news.yahoo.com/florida-man-accused-fraud-name-change-act-love-224309320.html

[Angry Dragon]

1. FLORIDA

[Lionessa]

4. Do you really think it is any different anywhere else for hetero marriage, I doubt it.

[Angry Dragon]

13. I do believe it is different in other states

[davidn3600]

17. 9 states allow the man to change his last name after marriage

According to the article....
California, New York, Hawaii, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Oregon, Iowa, Georgia and North Dakota.

Every other state would make him go through a costly and lengthy name-chance process.

[Lionessa]

18. Ah, thank you. I didn't think it was standard yet, but glad 9 states have got it right.

[LeftyMom]

19. Some folks I know here (CA) decided to both take a new name when they got married.

He didn't want her to use his abusive family's name, she felt really strongly that they should have the same last name because she's fairly traditional. So they made one up that they liked and that had meaning for them, the state was totally cool with that, and they both got a legal name. The end.

[Control-Z]

7. Funny - I started listing the states

where this would most likely happen. Florida was the first.

[Xipe Totec]

2. Interesting test case nt

[Lionessa]

3. "Apparently the state...clings to the out-dated notion that treats women as an extension of a man,"

as do most states as a matter of fact. This does need to change regardless of gay marriage. Either should be able to adopt the other's name or hyphenate and have it legal through marriage or reversed through divorce.

[redqueen]

11. +1

There's no reason why they should be acting as if this is only acceptable as a one-way practice.

So ridiculous.

[Liberal_in_LA]

5. kick. Our mayor took his former wife's name. They combined names, so did 1 of our council persons

[sakabatou]

6. *facepalm*

[dixiegrrrrl]

8. Should sue on grounds of discrimination.

[markpkessinger]

15. Indeed -- it's a violation of the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment n/t

[csziggy]

9. When I got married I was told I didn't have to do anything

To NOT change my name - but it is still a battle to keep my name the one I was born with 35 years later! Even now, I still have to correct people and agencies when they automatically attach my husband's name to me.

The first year, the IRS messed up my name, and then the Social Security Administration castigated me for not notifying them of my {non-existent} name change after the IRS told them I was married. All I ever wanted to do was keep the name I had already had.

An attorney told me that I should never answer or use the married version that society expected or that would become my legal name. He also told me (old advice, probably no longer true) that I could use any name I wanted without a legal name change as long as I did not intend fraud or illegal actions.

Even now, my father sometimes uses the married version in legal documents. I cross it out, put my REAL name, then sign with my own name, the only one I have EVER used.

I don't see why it should be a problem for a man to make a choice in what name he should use after marriage, the same as women are allowed to do. It might still be a battle, but it should be an individual's choice!

[dsc]

10. this is out and out sexism

[Odin2005]

12. This is a classic example of how Patriarchy hurts us guys, too.

[SheilaT]

14. I see this as another reason to pass the Equal Rights Amendment.

I did not change my name when I got married in 1980. Once and only once did that present a problem.

My husband had left his credit card behind in a restaurant when we had dinner. The next day he called, they had the cc, and yes it was fine for his wife to pick it up. When I got there, they wanted ID. Well, my ID didn't have his name on it. Understandably, they didn't want to give me the cc. I thought for a moment, and then remembered that even though we always had separate checking accounts, we always had both names on them. So I pulled out my checkbook, it had my name and his name, and the address on my driver's license. Problem solved.

We travelled a lot together, including overseas. Had two sons who have their father's surname. Other than people having to keep track of the two different last names, it was NEVER a problem. And a whole lot easier than the bullshit that today goes along with a name change.

We have since divorced, and I must say that the divorce made me more grateful than ever that I'd never changed my name.

[mythology]

16. I changed my name when I turned 18

due to not wanting to be associated with my dad, and it was a pain in the ass. It was like nobody had any idea that a guy would change his name.

[struggle4progress]

20. Florida man's license restored as state drops fraud allegation

By David Adams | Reuters – 4 hrs ago

MIAMI (Reuters) - Florida's Department of Motor Vehicles said on Tuesday it had lifted the suspension of a South Florida man's driving license after it accused him of fraud for adopting his wife's last name.

"It was a mistake on our part," Florida DMV spokesperson Kirsten Olsen-Doolan said. "The suspension will be lifted" ...

Olsen-Doolan said the DMV had spoken to Dinh to let him know that his license had been mistakenly suspended and "either a man or a woman can change their name" on their driving license.

"We are doing some training to make sure understand that it can be done either way," she added ...

http://news.yahoo.com/florida-mans-license-restored-state-drops-fraud-allegation-202743787.html

[lumberjack_jeff]

21. Assuming his motives as reported are accurate then this is ridiculous.

However, if he had other motives (dodging bill collectors?) when deciding to change his name, then I could understand their point.

[LeftInTX]

22. I had a relative who did this.

It happened in an arranged marriage over 100 years ago.