''Lindon v. First National Bank'', 10 F. 894 (W.D. Pa. 1882), is one of the very earliest precedent-setting US federal court cases involving

common law Common law (also known as judicial precedent, judge-made law, or case law) is the body of law primarily developed through judicial decisions rather than statutes. Although common law may incorporate certain statutes, it is largely based on prece ...

name change Name change is the legal act by a person of adopting a new name different from their current name. The procedures and ease of a name change vary between jurisdictions. In general, common law jurisdictions have looser procedures for a name chan ...

. A woman who had changed her last name to one that was not her husband's original surname was trying to claim control over her

inheritance Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Offi ...

. The court ruled in her favor, "At common law a man may change his name, and he is bound by any

contract A contract is an agreement that specifies certain legally enforceable rights and obligations pertaining to two or more parties. A contract typically involves consent to transfer of goods, services, money, or promise to transfer any of thos ...

into which he may enter in his adopted or reputed name, and by his known and recognized name he may sue and be sued." That set forth many things. By common law, one may lawfully change one's name and be "known and recognized" by that new name. Also, one may enter into any kinds of contracts in one's new adopted name. Contracts include employment (see '' Coppage v. Kansas'' 236 U.S. 1). Finally, one can be recognized legally in court in one's new name.

References

1882 in United States case law United States family case law Informal personal names 1882 in women's history {{US-case-law-stub