[jrhiggi37]

This is how I found my birth mother, 2 brothers, their step dad and 7 aunts. First get a good attorney that will go after the names and not just the medical info...it took us a while to find one...most attorneys have dealt with adoptions so they don't like to help. Find out what your state requirements are for opening adoption records, a family court judges office should be able to tell you what is needed...tell them you want a copy of the law statute for opening adoptions...you can also do this by going to the public LAW library...not a regular library, it is usually at the court house. In Louisiana where I was adopted the only 2 reasons are medical necessity and right to inherit. My attorney placed both in the petition to the court. I had to get a letter from my dr. stating that knowing a history of blood relatives both living and deceased would be extremely beneficial to any current and or future medical treatment for myself and my descendants. With that we had a hearing scheduled where I went in front of the judge and explained to her that I was concerned with health problems and that I believed it is my right to know. She then gave me the file that the clerk of court has and let me read it and write down all information that I wanted then give the file back to the court. After we got the name and address of my birth mother at the time of my birth, my husband got on the internet and found her marriage records...alot of state have free lookups for these records thru vital statistics...then found my father's sister by looking thru marriage records from his address for other family members that also lived at that address when they applied for a marriage license. Luckily one of my father's sisters married someone with an uncommon name. He called her and asked if any of the numbers we found with my father's last name was related to my birth mom and she gave us the name of her oldest son. So we called him and sure enough he turned out to be my full brother. Then he called my mother and she denied it at first, then called back and explained to him that she had a baby that was still born...or so she was told...and it turned out to be me. I have spoken to her, my brother, his step dad and the aunt that we got in touch with first. I have one other full brother that will be in Houston tomorrow and we all plan to meet this weekend. But just be prepared for anything. I certainly was not prepared to find out I have been considered dead for the past 37 years by my birth mom...and I also found out they changed the birth date on the birth certificate by 1 day. .. so check within several days of your birth date for records. I hope this helps. God Bless, and good luck,
Jodi