New York Searching Resources

I've asked the same question & was frustrated at the lack of responses. I need to find out what court my adoption was finalized in. I was adopted in Syracuse, NY in Onondoga County. I would assume that the finalization of adoptions occurs in family court...but I'm not sure! Someone also mentioned that my adoption may have gone through "probate" court. What is probate court?? How do I go about finding out which court system handled my adoption? If there is anyone in the upstate NY area who has petitioned the court, please share your experiences!!

My adoptive parents received a document after the adoption was finalized entitled "Certificate of Adoption." It listed the clerk of the court, the judge, type of court, county, etc. This is not secret knowledge so theoretically you should be able to get it. Perhaps the agency can help you, or you could call or write to Family Court in Onondaga County and see if they have your records. I am 99% sure that in this case it should be a matter of just finding it -- I do not think that anyone would hold this information back from you. You have probably done this, but I will state the obvious anyway - have you asked your adoptive parents if they have this kind of document or know this? Good luck!

Most/many of the older adoptions (1930s-mid 1960s) were done in Surrogate Court. 1960s-recent, were usually finalized in Family Court. If you don't have an "Order of Adoption" or a "Certificate of Adoption" you CAN request these. More than not it will take several requests.. and you will end up with a certificate of adoption. (the only identifying information here, is the specific date and court of of jurisdiction. But it is YOURS and you are entitled to PROOF that yo were legally adopted in that county and when! You can usually look in the front of most NY state phonebooks and find the phone numbers (and sometimes addresses) for the Family and/or the Surrogate court. These letters must be notarized! You also should call in advance if this is a larger city and ask if there is a specific judge that handled the post adoption requests. Your letter should refer to this judge as "Honorable" before the person's name ! (eg: Honorable John Doe"). You will need to include in this letter, your place of birth, date of birth, the full names of your adopted parents (including your mother's maiden name) and the address (or atleast the city) that your parents lived in at the time of this finalization. Hope this info is of some help to some of you! KSB.

I have a birth certificate from the State of New York Dept of Heath, notating when and where I was born, with my adoptive name. It's actually a certification 'as shown by the duly registered original certificate of birth of said person' as filed on such and such dates etc. I know my birthname......so where is the best place to start. Cyndi Asman, (born Donna Marie Baldwin) dob 1/15/1955, Village of Johnson City, County of Broome, NY. Thanks

[font=Comic Sans MS]I came across this site which might be useful for people searching NYS.[/font][font=Comic Sans MS][/font] [url="http://www.nyadoption.org/cgi-bin/nyadbase/dbman/db.cgi?db=default&uid=default&view_search=1"][font=Comic Sans MS]http://www.nyadoption.org/cgi-bin/nyadbase/dbman/db.cgi?db=default&uid=default&view_search=1[/font][/url] [font=Comic Sans MS]Hope this helps somebody![/font]

Thanks for all of the information! About 15 years ago, I found my birthmother living in eastern NY. She is unsure about which of two men is my father. As I get older, the likelihood of finding them still living lessens. Any ideas specific to an Estonian immigrant (who is one of the "contestants")? Thanks! Mary

I spoke to a lawyer who was very helpful in NY. He said I should contact the Monroe County Family Court judge to obtain a copy of my Certificate of Adoption. I called and the judges secretary said I am not entitled to that document, but she could send me a document stating that I was legally adopted. I asked her to send whatever she can. We'll see what I get. The lawyer also said I don't need the services of a lawyer to petition the court, but that it's most likely a waste of time. I'll probably try it anyway.

HiThanks for the info on contacting the "Surrogat's Court". I did so on this past Tues. and received the 2 applications on Fri. I was really surprised it came so fast as the court is in New York City. Not to see how long it takes to get something back. By the way I just turned 60 and only found out 14 months ago that I was adopted.

Thanks for the info. D.O.B. 12/1/45 Queens NY Is what I think if it is the same I've known all my life.

I am a natural mom lovingly reunited for 12 years with my daughter born in Buffalo but surrendered in Rochester in 1967. I have been writing Catholic Charities in Rochester for my records including documents and progress notes to help overcome the amnesia as a result of the trauma from losing my child, to no avail. It would seem that these records should be covered by HIPPA regulations. Any other moms have any communication with CC of Rochester?

Hi, My daughter found me by petitioning the court in Monroe County. Google the county you were born in with search words 'county clerk'. My daughter said the Monroe County clerk was extremely helpful and sympathetic. She found me in 1995 but I think you still need medical need for searching. Perhaps the clerk can tell you the types of diseases that judges respond to? Asthma?

I think I am doing something wrong on this site. I typed in my info and got over 1700 matches! I've gone through a few and they aren't close to the info I put in. Has anyone tried it?

I search my sister ,she`s born at 3 or 4 oktober 1972 in flower street hospital New york.Her name was on her birthday Rafaela Mller Her mother comes from Germany (oldenburg).I am her sister from germany and i search a lot of jears. The lawyer was Stanley Michelman . I hope you can read this because my english is not very good. Who can help me ?

I gave birth in 1986 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was handled through lawyers. The couple that adopted my son lived in Manhattan so I was told. They traveled to Albuquerque and picked up my son and went back to New York. The adoption was finalized in New York. All these laws out there for Non identifying info depends on the child being born in New York state. It seems no one can help me. New Mexico cannot help me, New York cannot help me. There has to be others in my situation that can guide me. Help?

I have been petitioning the court to get my grandmother's records opened. She was born in 1913 before records were sealed and wasn't able to see her records prior to them being sealed. Her a-mother called and told the town clerk she wasn't allowed to see the record and had enough clout that she was denied the right to see them by the time she got there. Now they are sealed even though it's been almost 100 years. It's been a long haul of 2 years and we're not there yet. The judge seems to feel it's crazy we can't get access since my grandmother would have been 99 this year, had she lived, and obviously both the birth parents are dead (a-parents too). There is a hemophilia issue along with other medical issues we need to find out about. It's long and frustrating and has cost $3000 so far. I think a lot depends on the judge involved and the city/county where you petition. Luckily, mine is in Auburn/Cayuga County which is small. We picked a lawyer that's part of the good-ole-boys network which helps a lot. Also my grandmother's records are held in one of the small towns outside Auburn and not by the county. While it's been a long hard haul, I'm grateful it keeps dragging out because we haven't been shut down yet so there's still hope of seeing the record. The state's attorney only has showed up at one hearing and the issues he raised were ridiculous, even the judge thought he was an idiot. According to him, we have to show medical need by a doctor from NY and not someone out of state (I live in CA, my aunt in GA). Nowhere does it state you have to get a doctor from NY to certify medical need. He also claims the records being sealed was a promise to the women who surrendered children of their anonymity - I knew they would go there and had already told our lawyer that since there were no adoption laws when she was born, there was never any promises made by the state. The judge agreed. They also claimed that I have no right to the records since I'm a grandchild and not the adoptee or birth parent. I raised the point that medical genetics of hemophilia, cancers etc. does not stop with the adoptee and the judge again agreed. Who knows if we'll win in the end but we made a lot of very good points. Good luck if you try. I've heard people who have gotten records unsealed with no issues and people that were flat out denied no matter what the medical issue. Just be prepared for it to drag on forever if you don't get shot down immediately. Donna

I was born in December of 1968 in Schenectady, NY, at Belmont Hospital. The name my birthmother gave me was Marsha Elizabeth. Would love to make contact. Thank you. :)