A. Adoptive Parents' Control over "Confidentiality."

The statutes of at least 26 jurisdictions (states and territories) specifically provide that the adoptive parents (not the birth parents) control whether an adoptee's name shall be changed and a new birth certificate issued, and therefore whether the birth parents' identities shall be "confidential". Some of these statutes provide that the name is not changed if the adoptive parents request that it not be changed; others state that it is changed only if the adoptive parents do request the change. The jurisdictions and the statutory citations ("s." = "section") are:

Alabama - Ala. Code 1975 s.22-9A-12(a)(1)

Alaska - A.S. s. 18.50.220(a)(1) & 25.23.170

Arizona - A.R.S. s.36-326(A) & 36-326.01(c)

Arkansas -A.C.A. s.20-18-406(a)(1)

Colorado - C.R.S.s. 25-2-113(1)(a)

Connecticut - C.G.S.A. s. 45a-745(e)

Dist. of Columbia - D.C. Code 1981 ss. 6-210(b) & 16-314(a)

Florida - F.S.A. s. 382.015(1)(a)

Guam -10 G.C.A. s. 3215(a)(1)

Idaho - I.C. ss. 39-258(e) & 39-259(a)

Illinois - 410 ILCS 535/17(1)

Iowa - I.C.A. s.144.23

Maine - 22 M.R.S.A. s. 2765(1)(a)

Michigan - M.C.L.A. 333.2831(a)

Missouri - V.A.M.S. 193.135

Nebraska - Neb. Rev. St. s. 71-626.01(1)

New Mexico - NMSA 1978 s. 24-14-17(A)(1)

No.Dakota - NDCC s. 23-02.1-18(1)(a)

Oklahoma - 63 Okl. St. Ann. s. 1-316(A)(1)

Oregon - O.R.S. s. 432.230(1)(a)

Rhode Island R.I. Gen. Laws 1956 s. 23-3-15(a)(1)

So. Dakota - SDCL s. 34-25-16.1

Tennessee - T.C.A. s. 68-3-311(c)(3)

Vermont - 15A V.S.A. s. 3-801(a)(2)

Virginia - Va. Code 1950 s. 32.1-261(A)(1)

Wyoming - W.S. 1977 s. 35-1-417(a)(i)

B. Annulling Adoption Ends "Confidentiality."

The statutes of at least 24 jurisdictions specifically provide that if an adoption is annulled (or "vacated" - the meaning is the same), the original birth certificate is unsealed, the amended birth certificate is (usually) sealed, and the child resumes his or her original name. "Confidentiality" therefore ends with annulment of the adoption, over which the birth parents have no control. The jurisdictions and citations are:

Alabama - Ala. Code 1975 s. 22-9A-12(e)

Alaska - AS 18.50.220(b)(2)

Arkansas - A.C.A. s. 20-18-406(d)

Colorado - C.R.S.A. s. 25-2-113(4)

Dist. of Columbia - D.C. Code 1981 s. 6-210(e)

Florida - F.S.A. s. 382.015(1)(b)

Georgia - Ga. Code s. 31-10-14(d)

Guam - 10 G.C.A. s. 3215(b)(2)

Illinois - 410 ILCS 535/17(1)(b)

Maine - 22 M.R.S.A. s. 2765(3)

Maryland - Md. Code Health-General s. 4-211(g)

Michigan - M.C.L.A. 333.2832(2)

Missouri - V.A.M.S. s. 193.135(4)

Montana - MCA s.50-15-223(4)

Nevada - N.R.S. 440.310(4)

New Mexico - NMSA 1978 s. 24-14-17(c)

No. Dakota - NDCC s.23-02.1-18(1)(b)

Oklahoma - 63 Okl. St. Ann. s. 1-316(B)(2)

Oregon - O.R.S. s. 432.230(4)

Rhode Island - R.I. Gen. Laws 1956 s. 23-3-15(b)(2)

Vermont - 15A V.S.A. s. 3-801(b)

Virginia - Va. Code 1950 s. 32.1-261(D)

W. Virginia - W.Va. Code s. 16-5-18(b)

Wyoming -W.S. 1977 s. 35-1-417(e)

Copyright Fred Greenman.