SEND THE LETTER BELOW TO YOUR COUNTY COURT OF FINALIZATION, AND YOUR ADOPTION ATTORNEY AND/OR
AGENCY.
By PA law, adoptees are entitled to non-id, though the law does not define it and doesn't say it's free.
There is no provison in the law for birthparents to be entitled to non-id on their
biological "child"- having given up rights to them, but many b-parents
do successfully get some. Essentially, you are asking for the world
and hoping for as much as you can get. Birthparents can easily alter
this letter which was written from an adoptee standpoint, but cannot
use the state statutes mentioned in this letter since the law does not officially support their right to non-id.
_______________________________
To Whom It May Concern:
My name is (your name). I was born on (your d.o.b) in (your town)
PA. I was adopted at birth by (amoms name, nee, maiden), and (adads
name) of (city, state aparents lived at adoption). My adoption was
finalized in (your county) and was handled by (agency and/or
attorney).
According to Pennsylvania Law, S2905, I am entitled to "as much
information concerning the adoptee's natural parents as will not
endanger the anonymity of the natural parents." I am therefore requesting copies of all original documents with identifying info whited or blacked out. If this request cannnot be honored, I then request answers to the following:
Regarding my natural mother:
1. Age and Date of Birth
2. Name at time of my Birth
3. Height
4. Weight
5. Hair color
6. Eye color
7. Education
8. Religious background
9. Socio-Economic background
10. Ethnic origins
11. Number and ages and sex of siblings that she had
12. Where she was born
13. Where she lived at the time of my Birth (city, county and state)
14. Marital Status
15. Her Parents ages
16. Her parents educational backgrounds
17. Her parents physical descriptions
18. Her parents professions
19 Any and all other non-identifying information
Regarding my natural father:
1. Age and Date of Birth
2. Name at time of my Birth
3. Height
4. Weight
5. Hair Color
6. Eye color
7. Education
8. Religious Background
9. Socio-Economic Background
10. Ethnic Origins
11. Number and ages and sex of siblings he had
12. Where he was born
13. Where he lived at the time of my birth
14. Marital Status
15. His parents ages
16. His parents educational background
17. His parents physical descriptions
18. His parents professions
19 Any and all other non-identifying information.
Also, pursuant to S2905 D 3, I am hereby requesting complete medical
histories on my natural mother, natural father, and their families.
I also hereby petition the court under Pennsylvania Law S2905 C 1,
that
the court, or its designated agency, attempt to contact my natural
parents to obtain their consent to release their identity, and
present
place of residence to myself. The purpose of this contact would be
for
complete medical history disclosure, and, only if all parties
consent,
to establish a relationship of some form. However, the second is not
a
necessity, whereas the first is.
Furthermore, in conjunction with Pennsylvania Law, S2905 C 3, I
hereby
request that the court orders that the agency that administered my
adoption contact my natural parents if the court does not.
Also, pursuant to Pennsylvania Law, S2905, I hereby request that the
court examine my file for the purpose of determining whether or not
my
natural mother and/or father placed on file with the court of the
Department of Health, a consent form granting permission for the
court
or the department to disclose the information contained in my
original
birth certificate or any other identifying or non-identifying
information pertaining to my natural mother and/or father.
[ADOPTEES - You can add this is you are feeling brave. Basically you had legal access to your original birth certificate from roughly 1974 to February 1985 in Pennsylvania, so if you were alive during these years you could have had your OBC and have been stripped of a right you once had. Be shocked if you get anything, but if you want to make a point, your call-]
Finally, please note the following. According to Article 1, Sections
9 & 10 of the United States Constitution, no laws may be enacted ex
post
facto. As, in the past all original birth certificates were available to
the populus of the State of Pennsylvania - inclusive of adoptees and
birth parents - I am entitled according to the above named Federal
Law
to my original birth certificate - not amended. To withhold this
from
me would be a violation of my Constitutional rights, therefore I
hereby
request and demand to receive said original birth certificate.
Thank you for your help in this matter.
Sincerely,
Your Name
[Text of above letter © Dawn R. Henderson 1996-1999.]
________________________________
Birthparents OR adoptees may also wish to add questions about the adoptee including when and in what county the adoption was finalized, how many adoptions there were (rare for more than one, but it may make you feel better), how long the adoptee was in foster care and where, and the health status post-relinquishment.
