West Virginia does not provide adult adoptees with unrestricted access to their original birth certificates. A court order, requiring good cause, is required before the release of an OBC.
Texas
Texas law does not provide adult adoptees unrestricted access to their own original birth certificates. An adult adoptee must petition the court in which the adoption occurred for release of an OBC, though adoptees who are at least 18 years of age may obtain a non-certified copy of their OBC if they already know the names of their birth parents.
South Carolina
South Carolina does not give adult adoptees unrestricted access to their original birth certificates. It’s actually unclear how the state may respond to requests for access. Pending legislation in 2017 is seeking to amend the law to allow unrestricted access.
Louisiana
Adult adoptees in Louisiana do not have access to their own original birth certificates, except by court order. An adult adoptee in Louisiana must demonstrate “compelling reasons” for a court to order release of an original birth certificate.
Arkansas
Adult adoptees in Arkansas do not currently have an unrestricted right to obtain their own original birth certificates, except by court order. A new law, effective August 1, 2018, will change this, but requests by an adult adoptee 21 years or over will be subject to birthparent redaction. In addition, the cost to request the “adoption file” will be $100.