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Hi,
We're just beginning this search and I thought I would post here to get the most help, so please help if you can. My husband was adopted in Leominster Mass at birth in 1980. We now live on the west coast where my husband is military and deploying within a year or so. I wanted to know exactly what it takes to petition the courts....info about whether we would have to hire lawyers since we're out of state? How long of a time frame it would be to take care of all of this and exactly how much all of this could cost. Also, whether we would have to wait till a time when we could go to Mass. I read somewhere that you ususally have to have a reason more than just "I want to know who they are" when looking for BPs. My husband mostly wants to know for medical reasons but also to see if they ever left it open for contact once he was of age. Please help if you can. Thanks so much.
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Once you know the court of jurisdiction, here is what I was told to do by the state Dept of Social Services. Send a letter explaining that you want your records unsealed. Give your relevant info: adopted name, adopted parents' names, address of adoptive parents at time of adoption, date of birth, agency involved if known.
Most important you need to explain WHY they should overlook legal precedent and open the records for you. Don't go overboard - give a rational reason and state it clearly and unemotionally. This is a judge who will be reading this, so appeal to his sense of justice. You must prove that the harm to you by not opening the records outweight the privacy issues.
Finally, you need to include a notarized photo ID copy, so they know you are who you claim to be.
I've heard it is not an easy sell, but it is certainly worth a try (I sent mine in last week). Best of luck.
- Matt
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