For instance, legal name changes.
In most states, they make you publish your name change in a newspaper before the court will order it, to make sure that you're not trying to use the name fraudulently to evade debts or anything.
I'm sure that made sense back when the law was put into place, but it's kind of absurd now. The people/businesses I owe money to aren't likely to be reading name changes in a newspaper, let alone the local newspaper in my specific city.
It's a formality that never went away.
Comments
In Ontario the government just publishes a list of people who've changed their names, I guess for the same reason. (They allow trans people to opt out of this, which is neat.)