Anyone know about opening records in New York?

Hello. Does anyone know the policy for opening adoption records and other laws for the state of New York? Please let me know any information you may have. Thank you! :) Jen

Hi Jen! NY does not have open records - unlike most other states (not fair is it?). If you have a severe medical problem you CAN petition to have your records opened but otherwise we are out of luck! Sorry! MJ

I am a birthmother from New York. I believe all adoptions should be open at the legal age of 18. New York is the most anoying state there is. My reasons for giving up my first born where because I am had crazy nut case for a mother. Told me if I didnt she would kill myself my un born child and the father as well.

I have been trying for years to get my daughters records opened for her and she tried recently, but New York just won't let it happen!!! I really wish they would as that is the one area in her life that I feel I've let her down, but when your young and want a child so much you make deals that you really don't realize are going to hurt the one you love more than life! i just keep trying every page looking for someone that is looking for a beautiful baby girl born in February 1972 in New York. Maybe if enough of us keep going back time after time they will get the message!!

I think the best way to get records unsealed, is to write to your representatives, Speaker Sheldon Silver, The Head of the Codes department, where the bill is currently caught up, and all supporters of the bill, which is A02277. If this bill passes, than records could be unsealed in 2 years I think for all New York adoptees. Visit [url=http://www.unsealedinitiative.org/index.html]New York Statewide Adoption's UNSEALED INITIATIVE[/url] for more information, form letters you can copy and paste, and much more information. I am frustrated I found this site so late in the legislative session. But I am trying to tell EVERYONE about it now. The squeeky wheel gets the grease! :pen: :clap:

Went right into website and signed the petition - also forwarded articlepetition to all my address book to read and hopefully sign. PAST time for this bill so hope it goes through! (Did you know that NY is one of only 5 states in the whole USA who still have unsealed records? THAT is ABSURD!). Thanks for posting info! PJ:battle:

Webnana -Your mother sounds like my adoptive mother - selfish, manipulative and controlling! I'm sorry that they tore your child away from you - and that I was torn from my birthmom! It is worse than slavery! PJ/MJM(bn):loveyou:

Jen, I have a link to the website where you can download the forms necessary to petition the court for the release of your records. You'd be petitioning the court in which your adoption was finalized in the county where you were born. No legal representation is necessary, although it is advised [at least the Adoption Commissioner in my county advised it in a letter I was sent recently]. You need a medical reason that is provable or "good cause." If you were born in NYC, there is a birth index that you definitely need to check. I don't know how it works since I'm not from the area but I've seen it recommended to people in the area here on the forums.

Re0cb42008- I'm sorry that you had a adoptive mother that was like that, but I think you are a little confused on who I am. I am an adoptive mother and grandmother who has been looking for my daughters parents for a number of years as I have always felt that it was wrong that we had to sign the papers. I love my daughter very much and would do anything in the world for her happiness so please don't put all of us in the same basket.

New York would be the 5th state to unseal records, Kansas and Alaska never sealed their records, and the other 43 states have SEALED records. THATS absurd.

I am a Birthmom looking for my daughter... Paula

I think that California is the worst! In California the records are also sealed :hissy: also and i have no way of obtaining my OBC unless i hire a professional and i cant afford one.

Xerxey, California Dept. of Social Services has a Consent for Contact form that you can obtain by calling them @ (916) 322-3778 To read more about this program you can go to [URL="http://laws.adoption.com/statutes/california-laws.html"]California Adoption Laws[/URL]

I am not able to open any of my NY adoption records. I am told that I will need to petition the court and to do so I will need medical problems to convince the court of the need.

You have it about right. Judges don't make the laws and they have no choice but to enforce the laws. Your best hope is writing for nonidentifying information. I had my adoption papers so I had a last name. My mother had a brother and I knew his age. Because it was a relatively unusual name, I identied a group of potential men. Long story... but I found my uncle. My bm is deceased. I have found most of my siblings. I don't know what I thought I would find or what I wanted. I can tell you that not all reunions are happy.