Adoptee Rights Law Center

Legal representation and advocacy for adult adopted people

Gregory D. Luce

The Byzantine Bill Known as AB1302

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A California bill known as AB1302 is a bureaucrat’s nightmare, or maybe it’s a real joy if you prefer a bundle of red tape and a meaningless, outdated government fixation on paper shuffling and secrecy.

South Dakota’s Equal Rights Law: A FAQ

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What South Dakota’s new law does, plus how adopted people can now apply for copies of their own original birth records.

YIKES! Hot Mess of a Bill in California

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A newly-introduced and unexpected bill in California is a hot mess. It preserves court involvement plus creates new rights of redaction for birthparents. Here’s what you need to know and what you can do to help.

We Can Do This (Because We Must)

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What’s to do after Congress failed yet again to fix US citizenship for intercountry adoptees? Our own work.

Indiana’s New Adoption Pipeline

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Indiana’s new law creates dystopian adoption-in-a-box scenarios. It’s also a recipe for corruption.

New Massachusetts Law: FAQ

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Poof! Goodbye donut hole. How a new equal rights law for Massachusetts-born adult adopted people will now work.

Louisiana’s Equal Rights Law: FAQ

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How a new equal rights law for Louisiana-born adult adopted people works.

Tennessee Dumps Its Contact Veto

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Tennessee in 2022 eliminated its onerous and discriminatory contact veto, which had criminalized contact in the context of adoptions.

Idaho’s Discriminatory Law: A FAQ

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A FAQ about Idaho’s new law, which puts restrictions upon restrictions for adult adopted people who request a copy of their own original birth certificates.

Getting Your Own Immigration Records

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A resource for intercountry adoptees to obtain their own immigration records through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

What’s an Original Birth Certificate?

Most adopted persons know what an original birth certificate (OBC) is. Many non-adopted people do not. An original birth certificate is the initial birth certificate created shortly after a person's birth. For most people, it is their only birth certificate.

For persons born and adopted in the United States, a new or "amended" birth certificate replaces the OBC once the adoption is final. In addition to replacing the original, the names of the birth parents are also replaced with the names of the adoptive parents. Some states may also alter or omit additional information on a new certificate, including the adoptee's specific place of birth.

Depending on state law, an original birth certificate is sealed and remains unavailable to the adopted person, even when they become an adult. If you are not adopted, your original birth certificate is your only birth certificate---and it is always available to you upon request.