Quote Originally Posted by allodial View Post
Splitting hairs or paying attention to detail? Perhaps you've not read a legal style manual? With USA or USSR or UK such are so well known they can be expanded out to "United States of America" or "United Kingdom". "John H. Doe" becomes "John Doe" since the "H." is indeterminate. That is..it contracts rather than expands. If one wishes to 'presume' oneself into a trap, they might welcome one with handcuffs, fines, fees or the like. Experience shows that avoiding being specific or precise in referring to the name on the Birth Certificate is intentional. Failure to pay attention to detail is why many get themselves into trouble. They are fully aware that John H Doe and John Henry Doe are two different names and two different persons.

If a sign says John Doe please report to 5th and Pine....how many John Henry' s or John Henry Doe's will merely ****presume **** (i.e. read into the sign what isn't tthere?) and show up at 5th and Pine? Initials are meaningless they do not expand in legal interpretation. The only thing subject to 'interpretation' in "John H. Doe" is the H and it drops out as meaningless. It DOES NOT expand into ANYTHING according to legal style manuals or legal interpretation rules that I've come across.

Furthermore: "John H. Doe" has a 'full stop' before "Doe".

John H.
Doe

H drops out as if an error or typo. Done. Finished. GONE.

You're left with "John. Doe." or "John Doe".
Maybe just taking things one step further in the right to self determination and choose to disregard the symbolism as my own. My style manual is written upon my heart, for it is only my body making owner[ship] claims upon.