Advertisements
I'm in Tarrant county,but it cant be THAT different state wide. I was born in New Mexico, but adopted in Texas. I found out which court handled the adoption by looking at the decree. But you can get that info from the vital stats too. Called the court and told them what I wanted to do. They gave me teh names and numbers of 2 intermediaries. I decided on Bonnie Solecki (super super nice). Sent her the $300 flat fee. She called when she received files. called when she located her a few days later to tell me she was going to get permission from the court to write her. Called to tell me she wrote the letter and what it said. We waited for response. It came 3 weeks later. Then we both got consent forms signed and notorized. When Bonnie had those, we were each given our names and contact info!!!! It took all of 2-3 months total. And I didnt do anything except send my money. I could not believe it was SO easy. I would have done it sooner had I known.
Like
Share
Advertisements
I was adopted out of Dallas County and they will find my file and present to judge along with letter from me to unseal my file for $5. Then they will send me copy of my file for $1 a page a copy of the order to send to Austin for my original bc. Catholic Charities wanted $50 just to start looking for my file and no telling how much to copy it. I'm looking at a bout $30 for name of bfamily and all info. Then all I've got to do is find them.
That's the thing about texas though... We as adoptees should NOT have to pay $300 dollars to find out where we came from. It's just not fair. A lot of people dont have 300 bucks. (like me a poor college student) I really wish that the law was changed to anyone over 18 has FREE rights to knowing who they're biological family is.
You all are correct though, wereeves paid someone to do it all for them, DASmith did all the work himself and only cost $30, and I'm like HerAngel1988 where I can't afford much. I think that if you sign up on the registry in Austin that when you are 21 yrs old and your birthfamily is also signed up then you are supposed to be contacted with their information but only if they are registered to release that info. Good luck to all of you.
Advertisements
It's even easier than that. You don't have to pay anyone $300....
Just find the court or Juvenile Department where you were born, send a petition to receive an order to open your records (my contact in Dallas at the JD prepared the request for me), list the reason you want to obtain is medical history- have them list on the order the Vital Statistics Office and the county clerk office where you were adopted, once the order is granted they will send it to you and let you know if the file in their office is empty or not- if it is empty, it should be at the Vital Statistics Office (in Austin), either take the order there (if you are near Austin) or send it in to the lady who unseals the records (pm me if you want her contact info) along with a check for $10. and they will provide you with your original documents with identifying info....
The entire process took me less than a month.