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My birth mother died in 1959 when I was three. My birth certificate has my step mother on it, reissued in 1960.
I was born in St. Louis. I have a copy of the hospital record showing my birth event and birth mother's name.
I once called the Missouri bureau of vital statistics and they told me that to get my birth certificate changed at this point would require me petitioning the same court that changed it in 1960.
That may have been a bureaucrat not wanting to do any work, I don't know. It is hard for me to believe that a state law would have allowed the creation of an historically inaccurate document.
I would like to have the certificate changed to be accurate and would appreciate any information anyone has about a situation like this.
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All adoptees birth certificates are amended to change who gave birth to us - in law it is called "legal fiction". Missouri is one of the worst states for adoptees to the point if you even request non-id you need your adoptive parents signed approval to get it - no matter if you are 18 or 88...unless of course they are dead...the state of the adoptee as the forever child. In order to get your birth certificate changed back you would need to get the court to disolve your adoption or have one of your parents (your father?) adopt you back to get a new birth certificate. I don't think any court would disolve your adoption by your step mother but you could always file the petition - worst they can say is no. Kind regards,Dickons
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I doubt it would make any difference in disolving the adoption. My guess is that you are stuck with it as is which I know is not the answer you wanted to hear. I think you should be able to petition to have it disolved and should be able to do it without a lawyer but don't get your hopes up. If it is any consolation there are millions of us with amended birth certificates that are legally denied even seeing our original birth certificates. Perhaps supporting the adoptees rights to overturn legislation is something that would interest you. The next demostration is in Texas in August. Google "Adoptee Rights" and you will find details. Kind regards,Dickons
I am adopted and have never seen my birth certificate in 34 years. I found my b parents without it. I had to produce a copy to begin the adoption process (my husband and I are adoptiing a legally free 5 year old.) Kind of ironic. I never have to tell anyone ever I am adopted. All record has been wiped clean away. I DO tell people. I hid in shame for years, but no more. I was born after the cut off year so I can't access my original birth certificate. Maybe someday before I die the law will change and I will be able to see it.
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I so agree about the fake birth certificates. I did not give birth to my children and don't ever want to pretend that I did. I had requested from their social worker their original birth certificates before they were adopted. I felt that it was important for them to have them when they were older. Unfortunately she screwed up and only gave me photocopies (she did not have very good follow through).
We have copies of the originals, and their original social security cards....but our children also have the reissued certificates with my name as the mother. I didn't really think about it at the time of the adoption...I never really even thought for a second they'd reissue a birth certificate, I mean it's such an important historical document. Crazy that they can reissue it like that and change the information. My children know they are adopted though....they were older when we adopted them so they have the memories of the adoption as well as being a different race :)