MA S1045

Allows individuals seeking a legal name change to request that all petition documents, pleadings, docket entries, and record books be sealed from public inspection if an open record would jeopardize their safety

Courts must evaluate safety concerns based on "totality of the circumstances," which explicitly includes risk of violence or discrimination against transgender individuals, gender non-conforming people, and domestic violence survivors

Prohibits courts from denying a sealing request solely because the petitioner lacks specific instances or a personal history of threats to their safety

Requires segregated records to be maintained in separate permanent docket books and indexes, apart from standard court records

Amends Chapter 210, Section 13 of the General Laws governing the legal name change process in Massachusetts