Legal Question in Administrative Law in Colorado

I was recently married, my husband has a hyphenated last name (Lemcke-Thornhill) but he only went by one last name (Thornhill) in public. Because of this I only took the last name he used in public. On our marriage license my name was written down as Renee Thornhill and his as John Lemcke-Thornhill. I changed my name with social security to Renee Thornhill. When i went into the DMV to change my name I was informed that even though I changed my name with social security had already been processed I had to take his full hyphenated name. I had always been told that dmv and all similar agencies had to change your name to whatever social security said. I'm now having quite an issue as so many of my documents have my new name but I am not allowed to change it on my state license. I am very confused. Please help!


Asked on 8/05/14, 7:45 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Damon Cassens Waters, Kubik, and Cassens

DMV is staffed by a combination of trolls, people with personality disorders, and the uncaring/uninformed. There might actually be one person there that is both helpful and cares, but you did not encounter that person.

You've apparently run into one of the uninformed.

The name on your marriage license, and your SS card is your legal name.

That being said, if you continue to get static from DMV, you can always file a name change action in the county court and get a court order declaring your name.

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Answered on 8/06/14, 6:07 am


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