How would i go about changing my title from Mr. to Esquire?

Question

Do i have to see a judge as if i am getting my name changed? How would a doctor go about having the title Dr. added to his License. I live in CT, USA. Esquire is not a legal title, it denotes nothing earned or accomplished and there is no institution that controls the term or who receives it. (probably because no one else really wants it.)

In the United States as wrtitten in wikipedia.org
"Though commonly misunderstood to be the right solely of lawyers, the title "esquire" after the name may actually be used by anyone. There is no formal meaning associated with the use of this suffix, and there is no official body that polices the use of this title by American lawyers or anyone else. It has been used historically, and still is seen occasionally, as merely a more formal honorific than "mister."'

Answer 1

Actually, "Esquire" after one's name traditionally means that the person has graduated from law shool and been admitted to the bar. Thus, a lawyer can sign his or her name "Kay Pierson, Esq."

Most states will not allow any titles such as Dr. or Esq. on drivers' licenses. I ran into this in Washington State, rather comically--- I'd signed my name 'Francis C. Zanger+' (Anglican priests traditionally append a cross at the end of their signatures), and the DMV clerk made me erase the cross, saying that there could be nothing on the license denoting my profession. He then took my picture for the license... with me in my priestly clerical collar. Oh, well... he was following the rules!

Additional details (responding to additional details!):
Wikipedia is, as usual, as accurate as the person who chose to contribute to it. It is true that there is "there is no official body that polices the use of this title by American lawyers or anyone else", and that anyone who wishes to may append it to his or her name. However, when Wikipedia claims "Though commonly misunderstood to be the right solely of lawyers" it oversteps-- it isn't commonly "misunderstood", but rather commonly *understood* to signify admission to the bar. Anyone may, of course, use it... but non-lawyers using it will likely be seen by most people to be pretending to be something which they are not. Again, there's no legal regulation against it, but since it has long signified "lawyer", to use it with no meaning attached would be confusing, and likely appear pretentious.

In any case, you certainly wouldn't need to go before a judge if for some reason you wanted to start using it-- just print up a bunch of business cards on your computer with Esq. after your name. Don't use them in such a way as to imply that you're a practicing attorney, though, or you probably will end up getting to see a judge.

Answer 2

Esquire denotes that you are an attorney, your state bar controls who receives this title if you really want it try becoming a lawyer.

Yes you need to see a judge to change your name but a judge is free to deny your request. If you request the title Esquire be legally added to your name it will most likely be denied. As this would mislead people into believing you are an attorney when you clearly are not.

Answer 3

Okay, so we'll address you as "Browning_1911, Esquire," from now on......

Never-the-less, in most of the elite legal and kindred circles that actually use the title, a Doctorate of Jurisprudence helps. Good luck with that!

Answer 4

Why try to use a title that might make everyone think you are a LAWYER? You want to feel like Rodney Dangerfield all your life?

Put on a white suit and call yourself "Colonel."

Answer 5

you have the right to change your name at will thru usage---just call your credit cards , your county (taxation), and any thing like IRS , post office,ins.cos. etc. change all these and more thru address change cards---over a period of a few months you will see magazines & everything else change--employers,banks, ( (may have to sign new name forms )conform to your wish---change your drivers lic. first to show some how it now is---before long everything will change--- including notify the credit bureaus as well....it's that --don't use 2 different names though so as not to have an alias............

Answer 6

you will nevertheless be "Mr", yet anticipate to be addressed as "Recruit". Your rank is your rank, no longer a call. innovations you, fairly some human beings decide directly to apply their old rank interior the civilian international - retired senior officers ordinarily. every time I commute with the army, the airline tickets consistently handle anybody as "Mr" in spite of rank. nonetheless I as quickly as did get a cost tag that used my rank as my first call - "Mr Gunner W". That grow to be strange.