How to Request That a Court Open Adoption Records in Texas
Years after a completed adoption, some biological parents decide to look for the children that they placed for adoption. In other situations, adopted children decide to search for their biological parents. In Texas, biological parents and adopted children can register with the Texas Central Adoption Registry. If both parties register, the staff at the CAR will connect them. If one of the parties has not registered, the searching individual must petition the court which granted the adoption to open the adoption record.
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Instructions
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Fill in a Texas Department of Vital Records application to ascertain which Texas court granted the adoption. Submit the form, together with a photocopy of a valid photo ID and $10 to Texas Vital Records, Department of State Health Services, P.O. Box 12040, Austin, TX 78711-2040. Obtain the information to ascertain which court granted the adoption.
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Fill in an application for an Order Regarding Access to Termination and Adoption Records with the District Clerk in the Texas county where the adoption took place. Explain the reasons for the request in the application. Sign the application in the presence of a notary. Pay the required fee.
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Make copies of the applications for personal files. Submit the application to the District Clerk in the Texas county where the adoption took place. Request a hearing date for the application.
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Appear in front of the presiding judge in the Texas court where the adoption took place when called. Explain the reasons for the request to open the adoption records.
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Prepare for the judge to suggest counseling before the court opens the records. Some judges feel that this provides necessary psychological support for an individual before opening their adoption records.
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Prepare for the judge to order that an Adoption Intermediary receive the opened records and to act as an intermediary between the petitioner and the other parties involved. The petitioner holds responsibility for paying the Adoption Intermediary's fees. Offer the name of an adoption intermediary to the judge. Many judges will accept the petitioner's request for a specific adoption intermediary.
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Make certified copies of the Order if the judge grants the request. Provide a copy to the adoption intermediary, if an adoption intermediary becomes involved, so that the adoption intermediary can access the adoption records. If the judge orders the records open, bring the court order to the local office of the Texas Department of Vital Records to receive the information in the opened records.
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Prepare for the possibility that the judge will not grant the petition to open adoption records. The judge of the court where the adoption took place holds sole discretion for deciding whether or not to open adoption records in Texas.
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References
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- Photo Credit Hand and document at the meeting image by Dmitry Goygel-Sokol from Fotolia.com
