[srchin']

Thanks, but I'm Tarrant co. and so is my brother. Again thanks for the help!

srchin'

[pmarler]

The whole sealed records issue is a failed social experiment
that needs to be sent to the garbage can.

Sealed records to the person of interest, the adopted adult
is actually a civil rights issue. The Bill of Rights gives us ALL
the right to our personal papers, but legilsators forgot this
small detail when they sealed adopted adults' records. This
took away our equal rights and made us second-class citizens,
treated UN-equally by the law.

In Oklahoma, we have an organization that is working to
open the records of adopted adults. This is NOT a search
and reunion issue, it really IS a civil rights issue.

If you are thinking about getting an organization together
to fight open records, you would do well to research this
issue as we have. You will come to the same conclusion
we have, that it is a civil rights issue. We are expecting our
rights to be returned to us legislatively, since they were
removed that way.

Yes, there is alot of opposition to this. Legislators haven't
even thought about the civil rights issue, their heads are still
in the reunion mode. This will have to change. Hopefully, there
will be enough adopted people interested in changing the
laws to start working in many states. It isn't enough to try
and get a medical registry. It would be a waste of time and
another government law heaped on the backs of adults that
don't deserve it. We need UNCONDITIONAL open records.
We shouldn't have to tell anybody why we want our records,
they should be ours to have. Period.

[newlyorphaned]

I just got my non-id info a few weeks ago from California. There's a blip on there about the statute to petition the court to open the records. I'm not sure but I think I would have to hire an attorney. Sure would'nt hurt to call one in the state you were born in. They might be able to answer questions without charging

[newlyorphaned]

PMarler,

I live in OK let me know where to sign up! I get angerier every time I think about the fact that we are not allowed to know the most basic human questions about ourselves. Heard a guy from Bethany on talk radio the other day talking about what a crime sealed records are. Let me know what I can do to help.

[pmarler]

newlyorphaned,

You can go to our website:
www.geocities.com/Oklahoma_Open/OORAH.html

from this site you can join our e-mail list. We will
be happy to see you there!

[blankenb4]

Originally posted by pmarler
We need UNCONDITIONAL open records.
We shouldn't have to tell anybody why we want our records,
they should be ours to have. Period.

I agree with everything that you posted.

Barbara
ISO bdaughter 6-6-71

[pmarler]

Barbara,

If you live in OK, we'd love to have you help us fight
for open records here! It's going to take alot of
voices and people that believe it is an adopted adults's
civil right to have his/her records.

[blankenb4]

Pat,

I live in Virginia - also a closed record state. Any pointers on how I could get started in fighting it here?

Thanks for your help,

Barbara

[pmarler]

Barbara,

Please e-mail me privately,
pmarler1@cox.net

[newlyorphaned]

Hey "P" just e-mailed you. Sorry I hav'nt checked this thread in awhile been busy with my search. I got my non-identifying info back almost 6 months to the day that I sent for it. Apparently the guy listed on my birth certificate is not my father but my mother was more forth comming when she spoke with social services in LA. I got the idea to call the worker who did the report today and asked if my bio-father's name was listed in the paperwork and told him that I wanted to hire an attorney to unseal my records. He said that I didn't need to hire an attorney but would have to pay a filing fee. He gave me a phone number to call and WALLA the forms are on the way to me!!! The more I've thought about it the madder I've gotten. Why did I have to apply for my non-id information and then wait 6 months to get it and then make 2 phone calls to California in order to get this phone number???? I've been thinking about posting the number on this site. Anyone out there from CA (LA county) who wants the number contact me through this thread and I will be happy to pass the number on and save you about 6 months of ****!

[newlyorphaned]

Dear 19seventy6,

Thanks so much for posting the letter to the court re: unsealing records. I just got the forms yesterday and remembered seeing your post and went back to print it out. One more time in the fine print "please wait 6 to 8 months for a decision." I know the wheels of justice turn slowly but I will be dead of old age before I get through writing and waiting 6 months everytime I want something from the state of California!!!!

Oh quick question!!! Do you think the fact that my birth mother passed away in 97 would be relevant? Should I mention that I know this?

Also got a friend I met on here, her mother is deceased too and appently they told her that they won't release records on parents with mental health issues. Anyone ever hear of that? Anyway 76 thanks so much!!!

[srchin']

Weird....mental health issues they don't release? I thought it was the opposite way around. Maybe that's just in TX. Congrats on how far your coming. 6 months does seem like a long time but at least the wheels are moving. Good luck to ya!

srchin'

[newlyorphaned]

Got the forms to send off to petition the court to release my records. Should I mention that I found my bio-mom and that she died prior to my locating her? I am planning to use health issue and genetic stuff since my children are now of child bearing age. Need input quick. PS what's happened to this forum? Use to be able to send messages to the search guru but it says I need to update my profile. Anyone know how to do that??? Miss the old format!!!

[thesearchguru]

You might try a medical petition and enclose a copy of this information from the website regarding the Surgeon General opinion on the need for biological medical history.

http://www.hhs.gov/familyhistory/

U.S. Surgeon General's Family History Initiative

Health care professionals have known for a long time that common diseases - heart disease, cancer, and diabetes - and even rare diseases - like hemophilia, cystic fibrosis, and sickle cell anemia - can run in families. If one generation of a family has high blood pressure, it is not unusual for the next generation to have similarly high blood pressure.

Tracing the illnesses suffered by your parents, grandparents, and other blood relatives can help your doctor predict the disorders to which you may be at risk and take action to keep you and your family healthy.

To help focus attention on the importance of family health history, U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., in cooperation with other agencies within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched a national public health campaign, called the U.S. Surgeon General's Family History Initiative, to encourage all American families to learn more about their family health history.

In addition to the Office of the Surgeon General, other HHS agencies involved in this project include the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

National Family History Day

Surgeon General Carmona has declared Thanksgiving 2004 to be the first annual National Family History Day. Thanksgiving is the traditional start of the holiday season for most Americans.

Whenever families gather, the Surgeon General encourages them to talk about, and to write down, the health problems that seem to run in their family. Learning about their family's health history may help ensure a longer future together.

My Family Health Portrait

Americans know that family history is important to health. A recent survey found that 96 percent of Americans believe that knowing their family history is important. Yet, the same survey found that only one-third of Americans have ever tried to gather and write down their family's health history.

Because family health history is such a powerful screening tool, the Surgeon General has created a new computerized tool to help make it fun and easy for anyone to create a sophisticated portrait of their family's health.

This new tool, called "My Family Health Portrait" can be downloaded for free and installed on your own computer.

The tool will help you organize your family tree and help you identify common diseases that may run in your family.

When you are finished, the tool will create and print out a graphical representation of your family's generations and the health disorders that may have moved from one generation to the next. That is a powerful tool for predicting any illnesses for which you should be checked.

For information on other activities of the Office of the Surgeon General, please visit www.surgeongeneral.gov.






Other great websites to check out:
http://www.adoptionchat.com
http://www.adoption.com
http://www.adopting.org
http://registry.adoption.com/

[StephanieCIrish]

hello,
my birth records are also sealed. i was wondering, when you petition the court do you petition your hometown court or the one in which your adoption took place?