Family Forum / Parenting / Adoption / December 2006

I don't have any advice, but the site looks really great.  Nice job,
Ron!

There are several methods in Ohio dependng on the date of issue  Let
me check and I'll get back to you on it.

Marley

Well I don't have any expertise with state bureaucracies and this is a
different situation but it might be worth a try.
My husband is the executor of his late father's estate (nothing major just
some remaining small yearly pension pay out)  Each year he cuts a check to
the seven siblings.  One of the grandsons was basically raised by his
parents but there is muchh debate about whether he was ever legally adopted
by them. No paperwork was found but there was something about an adoption
subsidy from social services but even that was ambiguous.  Some of the
siblings do not want to see him receive a check if he was not legally
adopted as they feel it elevates him above the many other grandchildren.  I
contacted the county honcho in charge of adoptions and said that the adoptee
would have to request verification himself  (no word on what that
verification would entail) or we could possibly have the lawyer petition the
judge just to see if an adoption decree was granted.  Mind you this isn't to
find out identifying information, just if an adoption was granted but of
course it is all one big fat secret that nobody is supposed to know about -
as usual.

Kathy 1

Good job, Ron.

My worst nightmare when I searched for my son was that was not told by
his aparents that he was adopted.  I only had one experience to draw
from.  That experience, being my first cousin who was kept in the dark
about his own adoption.  He learned the truth, finally when his sister
overhead my dad talking about it at my brother's wedding.  I can't
fault my dad for letting the cat out of the bag, ......he rightfully
assumed his nephew was told his truth.

Secrets and lies.....what a waste of life.

Kathy

Fascinating question, Ron.  I just sent the following email to the
Minnesota Department of Health.  I'll post whatever response I get.

"I know that the original birth certificates of children born and
adopted in Minnesota are sealed, and an amended birth certificate
issued at the time of adoption.  How can I determine whether I might
have an original birth certificate on file, so that I might initiate
procedures to obtain it, if one exists?

Those interested in asking a similar question for their own state might
go here for the necessary addresses:

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/howto/w2w/w2welcom.htm

J.

Fascinating question, Ron.  I just sent the following email to the
Minnesota Department of Health.  I'll post whatever response I get.

"I know that the original birth certificates of children born and
adopted in Minnesota are sealed, and an amended birth certificate
issued at the time of adoption.  How can I determine whether I might
have an original birth certificate on file, so that I might initiate
procedures to obtain it, if one exists?

Those interested in asking a similar question for their own state might
go here for the necessary addresses:

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/howto/w2w/w2welcom.htm

J.

For some reason my original response didn't post.

In Illinois there are some differences in the fake birth certificate.
Namely, the doctor's name will be typed rather than signed on a FBC.
Also, depending on the age of the adoptee, the hospital  name may be
omitted from the FBC.

Folks should also look at the filing date on the birth certificate. If
the filing date is considerably after the person's birthday, there is a
good chance it is because they were adopted and have a FBC.  Comparing
one's BC against someone else's BC (assuming that they know that they
were NOT adopted) is

Other possibilities include:

*Stealing family DNA and requesting a DNA test (pretty easy, these
days).

*Snooping for any hospital records belonging to mother to see if there
are any comments on infertility, etc. (Pretty slimy, if you ask me, but
a possibility nonetheless.)

*Point blank asking extended family members. There is sure to be
SOMEONE in the family who doesn't like one's parents and who will be
happy to spill the beans.  There may also be a decent sort who is sick
of the lies.  Asking older cousins, who may have overheard adult
conversations around the time of one's possible adoption, is also a
good strategy. (If you take this route, prepare for some possible
family drama.)

*Look for baby pictures that picture oneself as a newborn. This can get
tricky, as some families aren't big on pictures, especially for
children other than the firstborn. If there are a lot of baby pictures,
but the pictures seem to go back no further than, say, a month old
baby, this might indicate that the child was not acquired until s/he
was a bit older. (This method is probably more reliable for older
adoptees, who were often held at agency nurseries or in foster care for
several weeks or months before they were deemed "fit" for adoption.)

L.

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