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Carolyn,
My late husband was adopted in 1965.
He passed away in 1999.
I did the pink and blue forms thru Mary Hinds, and immediately got a tiny bit of non-ID info (birthmom's age, eye/hair color, fact that this was her first baby, etc.). No place of birth, exact date of delivery, nothing.
My MIL knew that the Hancock Co. Welfare Dept. had handled the adoption here in Greenfield, so I typed up a quick note to the Director asking them to please send a letter to the last known address of the birthmom indicating we wanted to get in touch with her.
That letter was sent, but of course, the address was where she'd lived 40 yrs before. However, the letter did NOT get returned (like "Nobody here by that name", etc.) to the Welfare office.
After waiting to see if there'd be a response or returned letter (6 mo. or so), I just typed a quick letter to the Judge in Hancock Co., Indiana (where the adoption occurred), asking for the adoption file to be opened. Within 3 days I had a hearing time/date set, and my MIL and I went. The judge was very nice, but said he could not ON MY BEHALF open the file. However, since I'd mentioned in my letter that I was wanting this info on behalf of my 2 minor children, he said if someone other than ME requested the file to be opened, his answer could be different. In other words, read between the lines: Send me a letter asking on behalf of your kids, and I'll OK it.
Well, I did, and within 3 working days, I got a copy of the letter he sent to the Welfare Dept. directing them to give me the identifying info from that file.
How much of this occurred because my husband is deceased? I don't know.
I did not incur any cost whatsoever except the stamps for letters to the judge and welfare.
If he'd not OK'd it, I'd then have asked for a Confidential Intermediary to be involved, shell out the $450-500, and do it that way.
Hope this helps some!!
Patti
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