Using Maiden Name on legal documentation

comfort

Forgive me if this has been answered before but could not find it after several searches.

Scenario: Woman marries in registry office in UK. Years later (still happily married) uses her maiden name in signing a legal document and also appears in her maiden name on following documentation from solicitors letters. Is this ok or should the signature be in her married name ? And if so, is the legal documentation void because of the signature being in her maiden name ?

Many thanks in advance

ohnonotgmail

there is no obligation on a woman to take her husbands surname

Caranica

Your name remains the name you were born with unless you change it by deed poll.

By convention on marriage you can adopt your spouse's name or double barrel if you choose but there is no compulsion to do so.

comfort

Appreciate the quick replies but ye didn't really answer the question.

Can a married woman sign a legal document with her maiden name even though she uses her married name as she is still married without issue.
Marriage was in UK registration office.

Many thanks again

Caranica

We have answered the question. She legally has her birth name and may adopt her husband's name and both are legally valid.

Lots of women use their own name for professional reasons and take their husband's name for personal stuff and both are legally valid. Being married in the UK and/or a registry office has no bearing on it

comfort

thank you carnica for making it plain enough for me.

So any legal documentation signed by married woman's maiden name is legally ok and any documentation received from a legal representative (solicitor etc) with the signatures in their maiden name would be legally accepted.

Thank you again fro answering and putting up with my replies.

Peregrinus

There's no rule of law that a person can only have one name, or must only use one name, and using two names is quite common - e.g. a woman may use her married name for social purposes and her maiden name for professional purposes; someone may use an Irish version of their name in some contexts and an English version in others. All perfectly fine.