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Adoptee Rights Law Center

Legal representation and advocacy for adult adopted people

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Restricted Rights

Restricted typically means that adult adoptees have no right to request and obtain to their own original birth certificates, except by court order.

Last updated on December 6, 2019

Wyoming

Detail from Wyoming road map

Wyoming does not provide adult adoptees unrestricted access to their original birth certificates. It takes a court order for release of an OBC, and there are no specific standards or procedures outlined for seeking such an order.

Last updated on January 3, 2022

West Virginia

Detail from West Virginia road map

West Virginia denies adult adoptees the unrestricted right to obtain their own original birth certificates upon request. A court order, requiring good cause, is required before the release of an OBC.

Last updated on November 23, 2019

Virginia

Detail from Virginia road map

Virginia does not provide adult adoptees an unrestricted right to request and obtain their own original birth certificates. Release of an OBC requires either a) a state agency’s decision, upon good cause shown, to release identifying information from the adoption records; or b) a court order upon good cause shown.

Last updated on March 30, 2021

Texas

Detail of Texas road map

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.

Last updated on November 12, 2021

South Carolina

Detail from South Carolina road map

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.

Last updated on May 1, 2019

North Carolina

Detail from North Carolina road map

North Carolina law denies adult adoptees unrestricted access to their own original birth certificates. A court order is required for the release of any identifying information, including an OBC.

Last updated on March 11, 2017

North Dakota

Detail from North Dakota road map

North Dakota does not provide adult adoptees unrestricted access to their own original birth certificates. Release of an original birth certificate requires a court order.

Last updated on October 27, 2020

New Mexico

Detail from New Mexico road map

New Mexico law denies adult adoptees access to their own original birth certificates, except by court order. Identifying information, which may include an original birth certificate, is available to an adult adoptee by court order but only after good cause is shown.

Last updated on March 11, 2017

Nevada

Detail of Nevada road map

Nevada law does not provide adult adoptees unrestricted access to their own original birth certificates. Access to an OBC in Nevada is available only by court order.

Last updated on October 27, 2020

Mississippi

Detail from Mississippi road map

Mississippi law prohibits adult adoptees from accessing their own original birth certificates, except by court order. Other significant restrictions apply, including criminalization of certain contact.

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Adoptee Rights Law Center PLLC
Gregory D. Luce
PO Box 19561
Minneapolis Minnesota 55419
T: (612) 221-3947
E: [email protected]

Legal representation limited to issues involving Minnesota law and federal immigration law.

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New York Adoptee Rights Coalition

Adoptee Rights Law Center is part of the New York Adoptee Rights Coalition, a group of organizations committed to enactment of unrestricted OBC access legislation in New York. Join Us

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