Access to birth certificates in TN for adult adoptees

Here's a one-sided article ("Adult Adoptees Fight For Access to Original Birth Certificates" - ABC News) about mandating access to adoption files that were "sealed" at the time of the adoption. I say one-sided, because there are legitimate reasons to not overturn these laws--or standing "compacts" (if you will), between adoption agencies, birth parents and adoptive parents. The article only alludes to these reasons and seemingly attempts to dismiss any opposition with the sub-header, "Religious Groups Oppose Access to Original Birth Certificates" . . . you mean religious groups like the NJ Bar Association and the ACLU?

The New Jersey bill faces opposition from New Jersey Right to Life, the Catholic Church, the New Jersey Bar Association, the National Council for Adoption and even the ACLU, who defend the privacy rights of birth parents.

In any event, I was glad to see that Tennessee is listed as one of only 9 states where access to birth certificates is "broadly available."



For more information about adoption in Tennessee, please feel free to contact me through my website.