Gender Marker and Name Change Resources for Transgender Individuals in Texas

For the transgender community, updating one's identification and other legal documents is an important and necessary step to achieving a complete transition. Finding the right resources to help transgender individuals navigate the Texas court system can be a challenge. Fortunately, the Houston Volunteer Lawyers are ready to assist. HVL offers regular legal clinics to guide individuals through the legal transition process, providing assistance in drafting the forms required for a gender marker and/or name change. Simply visit the HVL website for details about the application and pre-screening process. Submit your completed Gender Marker Questionnaire to an HVL staff attorney who will review all applicants for suitability prior to making an appointment for the next gender marker clinic. 

Travis County Law Library in Austin also provides resources for those in need of assistance in drafting documents for a gender marker and/or name change. Visit the Travis County Law Library website for detailed information and forms. These forms are drafted specifically for use in the Travis County courts.

The University of Texas Law School also offers help via its student-run initiative, the Trans Name and Gender Marker Project, whose stated mission is "to provide low-income trans applicants with free, high-quality services in preparing petitions for legal name and gender marker changes." Like the Houston Volunteer Lawyers, the Trans Name and Gender Marker Project at the University of Texas Law School requires all interested applicants to complete a short intake form, but once accepted, transgender individuals will get the help they need to both draft a petition for the requested changes as well as guidance in how to proceed with changing identification and other legal documents once a court order is granted. 

For additional information about the legal rights and challenges of transgender individuals, consult the book, Transgender Persons and the Law, which is available in our print collection at the Harris County Law Library. And don't forget to ask for assistance from our reference staff who are always available to help answer questions and direct library patrons to further resources

On a final note, sometimes the best information and support come from within one's own community. The Texas Name and Gender Marker Change Facebook group is a good place to look for answers to commonly asked questions from others who have completed the legal transition process. 

Latest & Greatest – Prisoners’ Rights: A Legal Research Guide

By Carol A. Fichtelman

Published by William S. Hein & Co., Inc. (2017)

KF 9371 .F53 2017

The 68th volume in a collection of research guides, Prisoners’ Rights: A Legal Research Guide provides researchers with a resource covering the rights of those who are incarcerated in either a federal or state facility. Author Carol A. Fichtelman focuses her attention on both primary and secondary resources and includes some handy websites that might act as good starting points for research. Of course, the first and foremost primary source when it comes to prisoners’ rights is the United States Constitution, and the author readily directs the user to the pertinent sections. In addition to the Constitution, the author points out applicable federal statutes and regulations. She also devotes a section to listing various federal agencies that deal with the rights of prisoners. Also included in the section detailing primary sources are state statutes concerning the laws on diet, religious beliefs, health care, punishment, and grooming.

The second part of the guide focuses on secondary resources. These include legal encyclopedias, specific volumes of American Law Reports, legal periodical articles, books, and a listing of national and state prisoners’ rights organizations.

Although not meant to be a comprehensive guide, Prisoners’ Rights: A Legal Research Guide provides some of the tools necessary to locate information about the ever-changing area of prisoners’ rights.

The Legacy of Lawrence v. Texas, Fifteen Years Later

Our regular Tech Tuesday feature will return next week. 

Fifteen years ago today, on June 26, 2003, the United States Supreme Court decided Lawrence v. Texas, 539 U.S. 558 (2003). This landmark case struck down the Texas sodomy law which criminalized consensual sexual conduct between same-sex partners. The decision effectively recognized the right to privacy for intimate conduct between consenting adults in all fifty states.

Today is also that day that marks the five year anniversary of United States v. Windsor, 570 U.S. 744 (2013), which struck down as unconstitutional the federal Defense of Marriage Act's definition of "marriage" as a union between opposite-sex spouses. And just three years ago today, the Supreme Court held in Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. ___  (2015), that all states must lawfully recognize and perform marriages for same-sex couples throughout the nation.

During the month of June, the Harris County Law Library is recognizing these and other landmark civil rights victories for LGBT people and their families. Our exhibit, LGBT Legal Resources, features landmark U.S. Supreme Court cases, historic federal legislation, and resources from the Law Library's print collection. Stop by the Law Library lobby to view the exhibit through the end of June. 

Also, you may wish to visit the digital collection of Lawrence v. Texas resources created and maintained by The Fred Parks Law Library at South Texas College of Law. The Special Collections Department at The Fred Parks Law Library houses the records of the Lawrence case, which were graciously donated by one of the attorneys on the case, South Texas alumnus and Adjunct Professor Mitchell Katine.  

The Sun Also Stands Still

Today is the first day of summer, the longest day of the year with more than 14 hours of sunlight in the Houston area. On this day, the sun will reach its northernmost point, seeming to stand still. People around the world will mark the occasion with feasts, festivals, and other festivities, including rituals that honor the sun. We’re celebrating the day in the way we know best -- by sharing information. We’ve compiled a short list of interesting cases that involve the hallmarks of summer -- sunburn, mosquitoes, ice cream, barbeque, and theme parks. We're also sharing a bit of etymology.

Interestingly, the summer solstice has somewhat of a connection to the law. The word solstice is derived from the Latin solstitium, meaning the point at which the sun stands. It combines sol (sun) with the past participle stem of sistere (to stand, stay, set, or place). The stare in stare decisis derives from the same root. Its literal meaning, let the decision stand, is the basis for establishing legal precedent. In Houston, we feel the blaze of the sun all summer long as it seemingly stands still for three (or more) uninterrupted months. There is definitely precedent for the kind of heat we experience annually, and it is sure to get even hotter. Happy Solstice!

Five Years of Progress at the Harris County Law Library

We here at the Harris County Law Library are proud to present our latest five year report, "Five Years of Progress: 2013-2017." On January 1, 2013, we opened our doors to our new space on the first floor of Congress Plaza here in downtown Houston, and the transformation has been tremendous. Since that day, our foot traffic has doubled, and our digital resource usage has increased more than 400%, while our cost per patron has plummeted. As our robust public education programs continue to grow, we could not be more excited for the next five years - and beyond! 

Check out the report to learn all about our services, programs, and accomplishments.