rights for adoptees born prior to 1973??!!

Julie What county...some counties are more adoption friendly...also, do you live close?

Hi.. It is Moore County.... I live in Kansas City. I am helping out friends in OK. We're probably a day's drive from the courthouse.

Not real sure where Moore County is...I'm guessing its not one of the larger more metropolitan counties...lol Best bet would be to call the county clerk and just ask. When I called Dallas county to get info, the lady gave me my cause # and date by searching my a-parents name. She then told me to "open" my file, all I need to do is send a "order to open" and a "motion to open" and generally they do it with out question. She did tell me that some judges arent as nice to "out of town'ers" and that since I am in Chicago...I might just want to ask my Dr to write a letter stating I could use the info for medical history and such. She also told me that once the motion has been approved they will send you a letter letting you know how much it will cost for the copies...once they get the money, they mail them right out. She did tell me that I need not hire a lawyer for the papers...just go to my local law library and ask them to help...she said generally they are really good about it. Good luck! Forgot to mention...I was born in 1973, and she said that it is general practice for them to make "everyone" jump thru the hoops for records.

WOW! Thanks! So, you received all your records? If you don't mind me asking, how did it go from there? Were the records accurate? I mean, were your birth parents listed with their correct name? Had anything been changed? (Place of birth, birthday, etc.) Thanks a bunch for your help!! julie

I never bothered with getting them.....my "adoption" was rather open...for the 70's...so I went into my "search" with a lot of info. I had my original papers from the finalization of my adoption from my a-parents...and it had both my b-mom and the man she was married to listed on there....he isnt my b-father... The man listed isnt my "father" so there was no point and spending the time or money to get the book of lies lol. A lot of my information was changed...but I think that was more my a-parents than it was the state....they didnt want their dirty secrets exposed...lol I am sure you wont have a problem getting the info, just call the clerk and ask him/her. Most of the people I have talked to in Texas have been really helpful!

hi julie i am also in kansas city mo and i am helping my mother n law to find her daughter that she gave up for adoption in 1971 i was looking in tx because that is the state the bmom was born in to see if i would have any luck if u figure something out let me know please missouri is a closed state when it comes to adoption

I was adopted in 1970 , so I am very intrested in the article in which you found. Please send reply with where you read this. I did go to the clerk in wharton county in which they told me the records were sealed. Thank you. srrayne@yahoo.com

I was born in Dallas in 1965 and adopted in a private adoptin in 1967. My a-parents have since died and in 1999 I asked the courts to open my records and they did no questions asked. I think it cost about $1.00 apage back then and it took about 2-3 week to get the papers in the mail (I was in Louisiana at the time). It was copies of the social workers reports, the decree, the signatures of my b-parents where they gave me up. It tells the hospital I was born at, that my b-parents had othere children although it does not say how many or if it was boys or girls. The information was alot more than I thought would be in there but I have yet to locate any of my birth family. I'll just keep on trying.

I too was born in Dallas, Texas in 1969. I want to know as much information I can about my bmom and bdad. Will you list the steps of what u did to find out about the sealed records in Texas. If the sealed law did not go in effect until 1973 do I still have a chance to get information?

Pocohantas, First let me apologize for not getting back sooner. My husband is in the Navy and we are stationed in Guam. So the time difference for the central time zone and here is, we are 16 hours ahead. You should not have any problems getting your records opened. You will need to know what county you were born in and petition the courts to open your records. I sent a notarized request/petition to open my sealed records (it was a private adoption) because I wanted to get medical information. I had the case number so that helped alot. I sent along with the request a copy of my dr's license, certified copy of my amended birth certificate, copy of my adoption decree (my a-dad had it in his files and I got it after he died), and the prepared order for the judge to sign. along with the money for them to copy and mail it to me. I think in '99 it was a dollar a page but I don't remember. You can also go to [url]www.adoption.org[/url] and go into reunite and it lists the steps ot search and # 8 and it gives you details and says it has samples of forms but I could not find any to look at. In all when I fist stated trying to open my records it took about a month to a month and a half. I also had Judge Gaither and I've heard from many many people that he opened everyones records but he has since retired. It is not hard to do but I am not real good at alot of legal stuff so I went to the library and got help in making out my request forms and orders and finding out what exatly I needed to send so I wouldn't have to keep requesting over and over. I don't know if I have helped any I hope I have. If you have any more questions please feel free to ask and I'll try to help. Good Luck in your search. Kim

I will try to follow the same process. I will let you know how it turns out! Thanks again. Pocohantas

I was born 9-9-70 in Austin, now live in Denver, and have just begun this journey. I have been so discouraged so far, as everything I had heard about Texas adoptions was so negative (relating to finding the bparents). I feel much stronger and hopeful now. Thank you all so very much! Heather