How to Obtain Texas Adoption Information from 1941

File a request to obtain adoption records in Texas.

Most adoption records, including those for adoptions from 1941, are sealed at the time of adoption in Texas. The state requires all persons seeking information about an adoption to follow the same procedures, regardless of when the adoption took place. The only people allowed to request access information from a sealed Texas adoption record are the person who was adopted or an immediate relative of the adopted person.

Things You'll Need

• Information on adoption, including adoptee's full name and location of adoption
• Application for Identity of Court of Adoption (if needed)

Instructions

1. Gather all information you have about the adoption, including where and when the adoption took place. Know the adopted person's full name and correct spelling.

2. Contact the court where the adoption took place. Your request for information from the sealed adoption record must be completed with the court that granted the adoption. If you are unable to determine the court that granted the adoption, file an "Application for Identity of Court of Adoption" with the Texas Department of State Health Services and the name of the court will be issued to you.

3. Complete your application and file it with the court. Contact the court for the requirements you must meet to file an application for a records release. Each of the state's adoption courts sets its own requirements for filing the application. The court should give you an application upon request. Provide detailed information about the reasons you have for acquiring the adoption information and provide accurate information.

4. Attend the hearing. While some courts schedule adoption records hearings on the same day, not all do. Texas Law Help notes that you should be kind and courteous to the judge, answering all questions honestly and respectfully. Stand close to the judge but resist the urge to lean on the bench. The judge makes the final decision about records access.

5. Meet the court's requirements. The judge may require that you undergo counseling before records are released, allow information to be released through an intermediary or grant you personal access to the sealed record. The judge also has the right to deny access to adoption information.

6. Request a certified copy of your court order. The clerk's office in the district where your hearing was held issues certified copies of the order and usually charges a fee.

7. Send a copy of your court order to the Texas Department of State Health Services noting the adopted individual's name, date of birth and birth place. Upon receipt of the court order, the department will open the sealed record. As of November 2010, the fee for having an adoption record opened is $10.

References

• Texas Department of State Health Services: Adoption-Frequently Asked Questions
• Texas Law Help: How to Request Adoption Records in Texas

Resources

• Application for Identity of Court of Adoption