Friday, July 25th 2008
Judge Won't Allow Bizare Name
Several news outlets reported yesterday that a New Zealand judge won’t allow parents to change the name of their daughter to “Talula Does The Hula.” Read the story
The Judge made the 9 year old a ward of the court so her name can be changed. The girl is the subject of a custody battle between her parents.
This is a great example of two things: First, that parents in a custody dispute sometimes take unreasonable positions that are not necessarily in the child’s best interests. Second, sometimes it’s up to the judge to step up and protect the best interests of the child.
The Judge wrote:
“The Court is profoundly concerned about the very poor judgment which this child’s parents have shown in choosing this name,” he wrote. “It makes a fool of the child and sets her up with a social disability and handicap, unnecessarily.”
Do you think the court’s order was appropriate? Or do you think the judge overstepped the line? What about the parents’ responsiblities to the child?
View other articles for: Child Custody and Visitation