Oregon Opens Courts' Adoption Records

As of January 1, 2014, Oregon is the first state in the nation to allow adoptees 18 years or older to obtain the court records pertaining to their adoption simply with identification and a small fee. SB 623 is, in part, the result of efforts by adoption policy reform advocates informing the process and, subsequently, challenging the status quo of shame and secrecy in the adoption industry. The culture and practice of closed records in adoption, both in adoption agencies and court systems, stem from a belief that adoptive parents will be protected and adoptees will be better off separated from the details of the adoption transaction and their biological family. By easing the process of obtaining these personal records, the State of Oregon suggests adoptees have a right to know and may, in fact, benefit from a greater level of connection and clarity about their adoption and natural family. This same law allows first/natural/birth parents to obtain copies of the records containing their signature, but no identifying information of other parties will be released. As Jane Edwards of First Mother Forum states in her article in Gazillion Voices, "opening court records is the next step in asserting transparency in adoption." For more detailed information about SB 623 and this groundbreaking effort, please read her entire article about the legislation. The bill can be viewed here. If you're an adopted person or a first/natural/birth parent from Oregon and are interested in obtaining your records, visit the courthouse in the county where your adoption took place.

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