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Beginning August 28 2011, Missouri adoptees whose biological parents are deceased may request and receive their adoption file from the court where their adoption took place. Previously those records remained sealed even after the death of the biological parents; it is no longer necessary for the biological parents to have executed a notarized affadavit for the adoptee to have their UNREDACTED social history.
In addition, that same right is now extended to the descendants of deceased adoptees; they may request identifying information that is in the court files. The new law also allows agencies to release identifying information under the same rules as courts do.
Previously if one biological parent objected to release of information (or died without giving it) all records were sealed; the new law permits giving information on one parent even if the other objects.
You must make a new request if you have made a previous one and been denied. Adult siblings may also request identifying information. Much of the operational details remains to be developed, but there is some hope that common sense will prevail, such as if the biological parents cannot be located but would be over 100 years of age...
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So where do I go or how do I do this-- I am new at this. :fish:
My mom was adopted from St Anthonys in 1944 and has always wanted to know anything about her birth. We had visited the home (the guy who was running a half way house at the time-- gave us a tour--he also said he gets many visits from adoptees) and spot of the old hospital (no longer there)at least twice. Mom had been there more. Her adopted sister was also adopted from there but in 1942. They are not biological sisters. Moms birth record doesn't have any personal info like wieght or time of birth. It has her adopted parents names on it. She was told that she was either adopted by a mom who already had too many children or an unwed mother. She has no idea if she has siblings or not . She asked me to help her. I have no idea where to start. Thanks, Chrisls
Make your request to Rosalee Schottel at Jackson County Family Court in KC
[url=http://www.family-court.org/adoption.htm]Adoption Record Disclosure[/url]
She must print off the form, sign and have it notarized, and send it to the court. It will take a couple of weeks to get her file from the archives. Then the issue will be if the birth parent(s) can be located or found in the Social Security Death Index. If so, there will be a procedure to follow.
Those who made requests just before the law changed should be getting their files this week. Rosalee's phone number is (816) 435 4788. Your mother must make the request if she is still living.
She's a fellow alumnus of St. Anthony's - I was Class of 1950!
The State of Missouri still has a long way to go in the way of reform. I recently sent a message to Senator Lamping urging him to pursue adoption reform in Missouri to the point of where we become an open state. An an adoptee from MO, I am so frustrated that I can't get my records and my OBC even though my adoptive birth parents are both deceased and my birth mother gives consent. Yet, the court says NO!
Which county (court district) are you in? Greene County (Springfield) has been a real problem, other smaller counties have been very cooperative. Jackson County (KC) claims they are swamped - they have been pretty good about sending the entire file when they get to it. Of course, Kansas City processed about half the adoptions in the State in the heyday - it was an adoption Mecca with tons of maternity homes.
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Who would I contact if it was in Greene County? I was adopted through Family and Social Services there in the 60s'. Also what are the issues with that county? Are they not following the letter of the law. Email me privately if you need to. Thank you so much. I have been searching for 40 years with no success.
I just emailed Nancy, who has been fighting Greene County since the law took effect. They have been very stubborn about insisting the law does not permit them to release any identifying information regardless. If you are getting stonewalled you can try contacting Governor Nixon's office and the bill's author's aide:
Jennae M. Neustadt
Chief of Staff
Senator John T. Lamping
201 West Capitol Ave., Room 226
Jefferson City, MO 65201
573-751-2514
Jennae.Neustadt@senate.mo.gov
we basically got confirmation of what we already knew, which was his b-mother's info. My husbands b-father had a "common name" and they were not able to determine which one he was, so we got zilch. This is after using a CI. This seems to be the same answer a lot of people in Jackson County are getting.
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Here in St. Louis has been no cakewalk. I was born in 1959, and adopted in 1961. I had been searching since 1990. Unfortunately, I later discovered, that my bmom's maiden name listed on the documents (given to me by my a-parents) was her previous married name, and not her real maiden name.
After posting several forum posts, 2 of my natural sisters FOUND me here on adoption.com in 2002. I have since been reunited with them, as well as a boatload of cousins, nieces/nephews, aunts/uncles. Sadly, I learned my natural mother passed in 1998. Even though I have 6 siblings, none knew about me from our mother. Those few years (1959-1962) were kept quiet from her huge family (very uncharacteristic).
I've tried 3 times petitioning the Court for access to my records. Each time, they told me they'd conduct a search for my birthparents/family at a cost to me of $70/hour (deposit of $350 to the adoption agency).
Last month, after telling them that all my natural parents/grandparents are passed, and I have the full support of many of my family members...they still sent me a response of "we've authorized the agency to start a search for your birthparents/family but they can/will charge you for your time" (and that's after I supplied them with all the documentation and proof otherwise).
Now I'm at a loss, as well.
Once again, I urge you to contact Senator Lamping's office, Governor Nixon's, and you might also try Rep. Susan Carlson as another who is firmly on our side. Also notify Sarah Bashore, Program Development Specialist, Children's Division - Central Office, 615 Howerton Court, PO Box 88, Jefferson City, MO 65103-0088
It's frustrating to have court employees purposely ignore the law after we got it changed!
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I guess my case is a little different. I did fill out paperwork and my dad DC, and made a request to Rosalee Schottel at Jackson County Family Court in KC. All I got back was a letter stating the birth mother filled out a consent to adopt form, but no name. I'm not that sure with how this works but I thought after I did everything required I would receive a name. Well now I'm working with adoptionsearchservices.com. They can't start a search until they get the ok from the Courts. It's been a month so far. Hopefully soon they can begin their search!