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States With Open Adoption Records
States With Open Adoption Records
There are several states that have open adoption records. In these states, an adult adoptee can get an original birth certificate and in some instances more adoption record information.
If you are an adoptee looking for your birth parents in an open adoption records state, please request your open adoption records. However, when you obtain your original birth records, your search might still be difficult. Having information such as your birth mother’s maiden name and perhaps her old address is a great start, but you will still need to get her current name and address information. Your birth mother might have changed her name several times, or she might not live in the state where you were adopted.
If you need help with your search, please contact OmniTrace!
Here is a list of states where adoption records for all or some years are open. In some states, birth parents can sign a no-contact veto:
- Alabama – Adoption records are open. OmniTrace has the necessary forms you will need to open your records.
- Alaska – Adoption records are open. OmniTrace has the necessary forms you will need to open your records.
- Colorado – Adoptions records are open for adoptees whose adoptions were finalized between 07/01/1951 to 06/30/1976 and 09/01/1999 to present.
- Delaware – Adoption records are open. Birth parents can sign a no contact veto. OmniTrace has the necessary forms you will need to open your records.
- Illinois – Adoption records prior to 01/01/1946 are open.
- Indiana – Adoption records prior to 1940 may be open. OmniTrace is currently investigating how to request the original birth certificate.
- Iowa – Adoption records are open prior to 07/01/1941
- Kansas – Adoption records are open. OmniTrace has the necessary forms you will need to open your records.
- Maine – Adoption records will be open beginning in 2009. OmniTrace will obtain the necessary forms you will need to open your records.
- Maryland – Most adoption records prior to 06/01/1947 are open.
- Massachusetts – Adoption records are open for birth years prior to 4/14/1974. OmniTrace has the necessary forms you will need to open your records.
- Michigan – Adoption records are open if the birth parent’s rights were terminated prior to 05/28/1955 or on or after 09/12/1980.
- Montana – Adoption records are open for adoptions finalized prior to 2/2/1964. OmniTrace has the necessary forms you will need to open your records.
- New Hampshire – Adoption records are open. OmniTrace has the necessary forms you will need to open your records.
- New Jersey – Adoption records prior to 1940 may be open. OmniTrace is currently investigating how to request the original birth certificate.
- Ohio – Adoption records are open for adoptions finalized prior to 1/1/1964. OmniTrace has the necessary forms you will need to open your records.
- Oregon – Adoption records are open. OmniTrace has the necessary forms you will need to open your records.
- Tennessee – Adoption records are open. No-contact vetos are available to birth parents if the adoption was finalized after 1951. OmniTrace has the necessary forms you will need to open your records.
Please note, if you were born in a state that does not have open adoption records, don’t be discouraged. OmniTrace has many ways to solve birth parent searches involving closed record states. In fact, some of our best states for searching are closed record states. Also, there is pending legislation in a number of states where adoption records may become open.
OmniTrace takes no responsibility for the accuracy of the above information. If anyone reads any inaccuracies with any of the information provided in this post, please let us know and we will make the appropriate changes. Thanks so much!
Please write or call us if you have any questions about obtaining your open adoption records.
info@omnitrace.com
Toll Free #: 1-888-965-6696
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Maryann, how sorry I am to have let you go — forgive me for being selfish today and everyday for wishing and dreaming that someday the Lord answers my prayers and I get to meet you and have the opportunity to share my reasons for letting you go and give you answers to all of your questions and to know that you are well, happy and have been blessed with a wonderful family. You were born in April 8, 1968/69 in the Bronx and the adoption took place in Brooklyn. God Bless you always. With all my love and never forgetting you, Gisela
Hi Gisela, my friend Maryann is looking for her birth mom. She was born April 8, 1968 and adopted in Brooklyn. Could this be your Maryann ? Please respond.
Correction April 8, 1969
Hi, my name is Maryann, I was born April 8, 1969 at 5:05am I just received my nonidentifying information from Guardian Angel home where I was adopted from. I am trying to locate my birth family and your information seems very similar. Please respond I have waited 43years for this opportunity.
Yes, we finally found each other April 15, 2012! Met on May 10, 2012! Thank you my Lord for answering my prayers and for the advance technology that we have today also a big thanks to OmniTrace USA People Search!!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!!
Looking for sister who was born Mar/Apr/May 1964 in New York or New Jersey. Name given at birth was Tracy Bruckner. Don’t have any other information.
Born June 5 1964 in not sure who my birth parents are as I can’t get any information. Please e-mail me back so we can talk.
Barbara
Peggy do you have any information on your sister? All I know is I was born June 5 1964 in Orange County,NY.
I’m searching for the birth mother (first name Barbara) of my adopted daughter, born 8/28/67, in Dallas, TX. I realize that’s not much. We adopted through Hope Cottage in Dallas.
I am looking for my birth mother, birth father, and any family.
I was born 3/21/1968 at St.Joseph Hospital in Joliet, IL
A couple corrections/additions to your Colorado information:
1) The 2009 Court of Appeals granted access to records for adoptions finalized from July 1, 1951 through June 30, 1967 (not 1976).
2) Also, for all time periods, records are available to mutually consenting parties, through a court order upon demonstration of “good cause,” and in the event that a sought party is deceased.
See the Adoptees in Search – Colorado Triad Connection website http://www.aisctc.org for links to forms and more details. Hope this is helpful!
Looking for son I adopted when I was very, very young – I named him Christopher Paul; he was born 8/2/72 at Bronson Hospital, Kalamazoo, MI
Trying to find Gloria Mae Conner, or siblings. Baby boy Conner was born 12-24-1961 at Bataan Hospital in Albuquerque, NM. Mother was 34 and single. Lived at 505 Bryn Mawr SE, Albuquerque, NM.
I am also looking for a Gloria M. Conner. She was 33 when I was born in 1960. I found papers indicating the her name was Gloria (also “Lori” Conner) with a maiden name of Larsen. I was born in Illinois. On my original Birth Cert, it shows that she was single at the time of birth with no other children in 1960. Is anything similar? Dave
Hllo Dave, We live in Albuquerque. My niece is married to Tim Gold. They live in Texas. We know Tim was born in Albuquerque 12-14-61. His parents were able to take him home on Christmas day. They were so excited. His dad is now gone and mother not well. He did not want to look for Gloria Mae & possible siblings until now. We know she was married and divorced from Ronald James Conner in Butte, Montana. The divorce was final Nov. 16, 1959. I hope you will write back and we can talk more.
Thank you for your time.
Dave I typed the date of birth wrong. It was really 12-24-61.
I was born on 09/09/60. My adopted parents are both deceased. I was interested in finding any blood relatives for medical info exchange.
In my case, I was adopted at birth. My adoped parents actually paid the adoption and hospital fees. I just obtained a copy of my orig birth cert. In it, both father & mother was “legally omitted.” But, after my parents death, I found the court documents at their home. I do know that my birth mother was Gloria M. Conner (also known as Gloria M. Larsen.) She was 33 years old at the time of my birth on 09/09/60. My OBC indicates that she was single at the time of my birth. But, the father’s name was omitted and unknown to me.
I have conducted some searching for the name of Conner and Larson. I have only located one Gloria M. Conner that is deceased.
Since my birth records are sealed, I cannot see any additional information without a court order (good luck!) When I saw your post, it sounded very similar. Since your Gloria was 34 at his birth in 1961, it was a real coincidence.
Is there any way we can communicate by email? Maybe share more info away from a forum?
Hello Dave, please call me and I will give you my email. If I type it here, everyone will see it and we may get a huge amount of unwanted mail. We are in Albuquerque, NM. 505 332 2089. I have unlimited minutes on the week ends, so we could talk forever then. I think you know it is the sweet huband of my niece (they live in Texas) that I am trying to help find any of his relatives. He was born here in Albuquerque Dec 24, 1961.
I do want to talk more with you and Tim might want to talk also.
Thanks for your time and any help you may give us.
Betty
Betty:
I agree. I’ll see if I can call you tonight or tomorrow.
Thanks,
Dave
LOOKING FOR ADOPTED BROTHER-BORN JUNE 1981..BABY BOY COX BORN IN VA BEACH, VA @ SENTARA VB GENERAL TO DEBORAH LYSAGHT, THEN 20 YO. ADOPTIVE PARENTS FROM BLACKSBURG, VA..MOM WAS A PRO BALLET DANCER, DAD WAS A GM OF A CHAIN OF RETAIL STORES. PLEASE HELP! WOULD LOVE TO MEET MY BIG BROTHER <3
I am looking for my birth parents. I was born on March 21, 1978 in Cleveland, OH. Can anyone lead me in the right direction?
Looking for My Birth Parents Im A Bi-Racial male born on October 15th 1968 in I believe Coldwater Michigan. My Adoption was finalized the folowing summer when I was about 9 months old. I had dark curly hair at birth. The only info I have on my birth parents are that my birth father was african american possibly of west indian descent and that my birth mother was white and she was aproximately 15 at the time of my birth and and was forced to give me up also that my adoption was most probably handled by social services. I was adopted by an older couple in their 50s who were from Lansing Michigan. If you are my birth parents or a sibling or maybe another family member who may remember my birth i would love to hear from you please leave me a message on here and since I dont have a computer and my sister is doing this search for me on my sisters e-mail address which is ImWhtUDidLstSmmr@aol.com I look forward to finding my family and finaly knowing where i come from if you are my birth mother please know that I am in no way angry at you you had no choice in giving me up.
I have given my sister a current photo of myself incase any family member see’s this post and wants to see what and who i look like. Hopefully this may confirm for my family that its really me looking for them.
I’m looking for my grandson;he adopted by someone in Myrtle Beach, SC.in 1975 around October. His fist name was David,and his mother is from Thailand;David is American-Thai. I want to know he is okay.
Hi: My name is Sharon I’m looking for my brother & sister they r from Aurora Il born sept 3rd & 4th of 1938& 1939 there name r Raymond Eugene & Shirley Jean Nichols may have use the name Martin they was taken from our mom by the state 1942/43 was raised by a family that owned Martins green house /flower shop on Parker ave near Phillips Park in Aurora Il Raymond went to the Marmion Accadamy 1952/53 & Shirley may have went to Madonna catholic school probably around the same yr, birth moms name is Helen Louise Crandall born 6/13/1921 & the dad is Raymond Eugene Nichols not sure of B-Day
Hi Sharon
I have found information about the “Martens” who may have adopted Shirley and Raymond. I am still putting it together and will email you later tonight.
My name is LaRhonda. I was born at Porter Memorial Hospital at 2:35 a.m. on 2-18-1965. I have a photo that has the name Linda Cox on the back. My mother is of Caucasian descent and my father is of African American descent. Would like help with details of how to search for my biological family
Porter Memorial Hospital is in Englewood CO
Searching for any information regarding my biological family. I was born December 22, 1981 in Las Cruces, New Mexico. My parents picked me up 3 days later on Christmas Day.
I am looking for my child, his mother and I were both very young, and from Ligonier, IN. I believe her parents sent her to California to have you. You were born between 1968-1970. I do not want to list your mother’s name here, as I don’t want to involve her until I can possible find you. My name is Ray Coyle, Jr. and I still live in Indiana. I just want to give you an opportunity to find me, if you want to, I don’t want to intrude on your life, but you have questions I’m sure, and I want to be able to answer them and be here for whatever you might need from me.
My adopted Brother was born in 1968 but he is bi-racial
What Race is your child and is it possible that his mothers parents sent her to a state other than California to have the baby?
I was born 3/21/1968 at St.Joseph Hospital in Joliet, Il. It was a closed adoption. All I know is that my Grandmother told me that my birthmother was very young and she was from California and was sent to IL to have me and that she named me Christine.Please if anyone has any information please let me know. I need to find my birth Mother and or birth Father and family. I am a registered nurse and have 3 beautiful children and a wonderful husband. I need to find them my life is not complete until I do.
Thanks,
Jodie
Looking for biological father. I was born in September 1969 in Pasadena CA and immediately adopted. I have already found and begun relationship with my birth mother who was 18 years old at that time. She remembers a Marine who may have been stationed in the Santa Ana CA area, was maybe from Washington state, and met my mother at a skating rink. I have a name, but am not sure of spelling of last name. If any of this sounds familiar, please contact me.
I am looking for a brother I just now found out I had. I don’t know when he was born or how old he is. My fathers name was Theron Henry Gossett and he was born 11-20-1925 in Hall county Texas. He may have sired this son when he was overseas in Germany in the last years of WWII. We know he had a girlfriend over there and he was also married while overseas. He was divorced just before he came back to the states. I am guessing the birth of this son was anywhere from 1945 to 1947. My mother does not have any information about this and wants to find him as bad as I do. If you have any information please let me know. My email is silvia.dowd@yahoo.com
LOOKING FOR TWIN SISTER -BORN MARCH 2 1936 PHILA PA — SEPERATED AT BIRTH – TWIN ADOPTED TO MASS. FATHER JOSEPH REED HALLEY
Looking for Son given up for adoption. Born March? 1964 on Travis Air Force Base, Solano County CA. County does not have record, says it would be under adopted name. Adoption agency was Vallejo Adoption Agency, CA.
I am in search for my brother born 1962 in cleveland Ohio. He was adopted threw a Cathloic Church to a family from Brea, Ohio.
Looking for birth daughter, born December 2 1966 in Rochester New York..just contact Catholic Family Services, Rochester, New York they have all info and consent to give you my information.
Looking for my older sister birth MOM. My sis was born Barbara Ann Osmanski on May 14, 1941 and her birth Moms name was Jean V Osmanski. Hope someone can help us.
I am beginning a search for the birth mother of the father of one of my grandchildren. He was born in Nebraska, not sure of the city, to a young, perhaps teenaged, mother. Her family was of German extraction. I think her family would like to know this branch of their family….they wrote letters to his adoptive parents when he was a baby, but his adoptive mother threw the letters away.
He was born on January 28, 1978.
looking for my cousin chantele she was adopted at 3 years old she was born on may 11 1995 in Welland hospital, family and children service adopted her out to a family in font hill Ontario
Looking for my half sister, born between 1959 and 1962. Birth mom’s name is Barbara, and she was born in Poughkeepsie, NY. Adoption records are sealed in NYS. I am unable to find out any information.
I am looking for my birth parents I was born on July 1, 1965 in Wilkes Barre PA…
My father was given up for adoption & now I am interested in learning more about his heritage, etc. He is still alive, but seems to have no interest in knowing his birth parents.
His name is Daniel Sosa, not sure of birth name (if there was one), and he has told me all my life that he was born in Chicago, Illinois on May 29, 1951.
My wife has been pushing for me to do this for quite some time so that our children know their heritage on my father’s side…
I am looking for my birth family. I was born april 30,1988 in dubuque, Iowa. I was in a couple of foster homes before being adopted in 1992. My birth last name was Mccardle or mcardle.
I am looking for a half sibling… Born in Oregon in Approx 1958 to 1962… My father was briefly married to a young woman, her family had the marriage annuled but recently speaking with my aunt ( my fathers sister) she said there was a child from the union that he was not allowed to see… My fathers name was Jimmie Robert West He was living in Oregon at the time but was from Alaska… Any infoo would be great… or better yet… Search tips…
Cheree West
I posted this last year just after my adoptive mother passed away. There have been no responses so I thought I would try it again. I am a caucasian female born November 17, 1958 in Biloxi or Gulfport, Mississippi to a 16-17 year old unwed mother, so she would have been born in 1940-41. I am looking for my birth mother. I was told she was the daughter of a Baptist minister and was put in touch with my adoptive parents by her physician. In the hospital I may have been called “Rose Burnitt” (or Burnett.) I was told my birth mother was from Louisiana and staying with family in Mississippi during the pregnancy. I left the hospital at 5 days old with my adoptive parents who were living in Biloxi at that time. (My birth certificate states Biloxi, but my mother always told me I was born in Gulf Port.) They returned to Texas after the adoption. Their names are Addison Carl Stone, Jr. and Geraldine (Jere) Ada Mercer Stone, both now deceased. I would be interested in medical and ethnic history and perhaps pictures. If connected I would be interested contact IF my birth mother desired it. Thank you for any help.
Shirley G. Kearns Feb 1939 – Dec 2007 From North Dakota.
Possible?
I have just started to search for my birth mother. I was born in Charlotte North Carolina on Dec.24,1994. My birth mother may have been between the age of 49-50. She had one son and two brothers one sister. And her first name begins with the letter Q. Pray someone can help.
I am looking for my birth mother and father. I was born on March 21, 1978 in Cleveland Ohio. It was a private adoption and I have no information at all. Please respond if can help. Thanks!
I was born in Lancaster PA 11 16 1949 under the name Harry Clarence Becker. I was adopted and my name was changed to Clarence Eugene Christman. I think I have an older brother and at least one other sibling younger than me but not sure what. I would like to contact them. I don’t know anything about my mother or father.
I was adopted in a pre arranged adoption reffered by Dr. Benjamin Sheppard in Miami Florida 7/23/1950, I was told at Variety Childrens Hospital in Miami. Rumor say my birth family went by the last name of Combs. (not sure).
Need to find information about health and genetics, etc.
Plus I am curious to find out if I have any living relatives on my birth family side. Any info would be most helpful.
I’m in Australia and pretty sure my mum is australian and her name is Patricia gooding. I was born In 1988 and have contacted many other goodings but with not much luck. I’m now searching the globe for my mum. Please help if you know anything. Thanks.
I was told I was adopted by my biological father after he married my mother. I was born in March and they were married in October. I’m not sure when the adoption took place, however I have tried many times to get my adoption record but cannot. I have all of the right information that they would need and have given it to they but, they keep sending my money back saying that I need to contact and attorney to get my adoption record, yet when I try to hire an attorney they look at me as if I am nut and the attorney says, “you don’t need an attorney to get those records, you just give them (Vital Records) the information”. But, Know matter how badly I want those records it is as though I had never asked. I am about to try one more time. Everyone in my family is deceased except me, so there is no one to get hurt by the information that may be in the records. I have even explained this to the Dept.of Vital Record, but they didn’t seem to care for about my plight at all.
I hope I haven’t bored everybody to tear. You can put your ropes away. I’ll shut up and go to bed
Bonnie, what state were you born in? There are different laws in different states.
looking for birth parents. I was born in Charlotte (Mecklenburg Co.) NC on November 24 1966. Mom was in a home for unwed mothers and I was adopted through Catholic Social Services. Please help.
my son was put up for adoption in 1984 he was born in st.joseph Mo. on july 31,1983 at methodist medical center.I have his s.s. number and his birth name was Christopher Scott Hall we had a closed adoption buy they did let me write him a letter and put in his file. this i located at city hall in St.Joseph Mo.they told me that he could get it out of the file when he turned18 my name at the time was Dannette Joyce Hall any help would be welcomed.the is a very long story to this that i wuld love to tell.I still cry every birthday and pray to god that he is well and happy with his own family.
looking for my babies they were adopted out in the early 90s… courtney marie born feb. 27 90 (i think) 1990…. katrina ski born may of 91 and bret micheal born march of 92…. anyone know how i can find them ive been searching for years with no luck
oh and they all were born in escanaba michigan
My husband was born at Edmond Memorial Hospital in Edmond, Oklahoma on December 1th, 1975. We would like to find his birth mother. All we know about her is that she was a graduate student at University of Central Oklahoma during the time she had him. I believe that her doctor put her in touch with his adoptive parents. We now have two daughters and would like to know medical history. We would also like to meet if she was willing.
We now know that my husband’s birth mother was Marion Diane Bledsoe, but signed his orginal birth certificate as M. Diane Johnston. She was 27 when he was born on December 1, 1975, so would now be 63 or 64. If anyone knows anything, please let me know.
I have been doing this search on behalf of my adopted brother for over two years now and although its been quite discouraging in having found no one from his birth family yet I havent given up. I refuse to believe that there isnt someone out there who knows about the birth and subsequent adoption of this Bi racial baby boy born on or about October 15th 1968 in or around Coldwater Michigan. All he wants is to know where he comes from and, if his family is agreeable to talk with and possibly have contact with them. If not any medical information would be most helpfull. since his adoption was most probably a closed adoption Im not sure of the name his birth mother gave him or if he even had a birth name but his name after adoption is Earlee Duncan and I have a current photo if his family is out there and wants to see what he looks like. Please if you are or think you are a family member leave a reply to this message here or you may contact me
tWO SISTERS LOOKING FOR BROTHER AND STEP BROTHER IN STARK COUNTY,OHIO RICKY KIEFFER BORN APPROXMATLY 1961-1962 BY PATRICIA LOUISE DAVIS AND DOUG MATHEW DAVIS(STEP BROTHER).aLSO WEL-COME ANY OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS TO COME FORWARD.sTARK COUNTY WELFARE TOOK ON OUR CASE AND ADOPTED US ALL OUT.yOUR TWO SISTERS ONE:TINA KIEFFER,NOW LORI AND SECOND SISTER OPAL KIEFFER: NOW DARLA hOPE TO FINALLY GET TO MEET YOU!
Looking for birth parents. I was born October 21, 1983 on Travis airforce base in Fairfield CA.
The two sister’s looking for brother and step brother and any other family members,also would like to say:Patricia Loiuse Davis was our mothers last given name.We are also related to Kneppers and Kieffers,so anyone with any information please help us find our family,Thank -You!Also both parents have passed away,mom died 1974 at age of 33yrs.old
Lori and Darla
I am looking for my birth mother. Her maiden name is Betty Lou Mentzel, she was born May 16, 1929 in Plymouth Indiana. She disappeared in 1952 from the area and has not been heard from since. I was born in 1950.
I am trying to find the birth parents of my husband. He was adopted from Louisiana ,New Orleans. I am a Londoner and do not have a clue of where to start. He is Native American from the Choctaw tribe although I do not know if he was registered. Could anyone advise me of where to start!!
Thank you so much
Hello Caren. if you know the name of either one of his birth parents that would help a great deal but if not and he was born on the reservation they may have a record of his birth parents names. What ever the case may be here is a link to where you can contact the Choctaw band of Indians more specificly their Tribal Chief hope this helps and hope you find who you are looking for.
http://www.choctaw.org/
If you are the birth mother who’s rights were taken because you were very young and unmarried and are looking for the Bi-Racial baby boy you gave up in october 1968 in or around michigan please leave me a message here. I have an adopted brother who will be 44 in october on the 15th and he is desperately searching for you or his father and any siblings or other members of his birth family. There is a photo available for any family members.
I’m still looking for my niece who was adopted in 1994 I believe? Her name is vickie Marie Ellis at birth ,10-28-1986 or 87 she is 26 yrs old now . I’ve been looking for her for years ! She was awarded to the state ,at age 4 yrs old , I my self was 20 when I became foster parent to get her .and did ,but when I got a divorce ogre and I went and stayed with a friend and dhs said they had to take her since I had no home of my own. It was awful I felt like they ripped my heart in million pieces . But that’s rules. They placed her in a home and family adopted her right away ,I Tryed to see her but adopted family thought it would b best for her I didn’t. I’ve never gave up on looking for her . Just feel like I’m at dead end . Anyone that could help me. Please. She has a cousin and he looks so much like her she needs to know her family that has always pertected her. Don’t have much money .but I wanna find her I love u vickie and miss u terriably