N.Y. Civil Rights Law § 64-a: Sealing name change papers

§ 64-a. Sealing name change papers. 1. If the court shall find that

open record of an applicant's change of name would jeopardize such

applicant's personal safety, based on totality of the circumstances, the

court shall, at the request of the applicant or sua sponte, order the

records of such change of name proceeding be sealed, to be opened only

by order of the court for good cause shown or at the request of the

applicant. For the purposes of this section, "totality of the

circumstances" shall include, but not be limited to, a consideration of

the risk of violence or discrimination against the applicant, including

such applicant's status as transgender or as the subject of domestic

violence. The court shall not deny such sealing request solely on the

basis that the applicant lacks specific instances of or a personal

history of threat to personal safety.

2. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, pending such a finding

in subdivision one of this section where an applicant seeks relief under

this section, the court shall immediately order the applicant's current

name, proposed new name, residential and business addresses, telephone

numbers, and any other information contained in any pleadings or papers

submitted to the court to be safeguarded and sealed in order to prevent

their inadvertent or unauthorized use or disclosure while the matter is

pending.