Can you get your adoption records in a life threatening situation?

Question

My ex husband is also adopted. He was adopted thru Catholic Charities in Illinois. When he reached 18 he was given non-identifying info on his first parents. He wanted to find his first mother but was told it would be $35 an hour for them to look for her (he would not be given any info) and then they would require counseling before  they would facilitate the reunion.

He has never had the money for the search, but now he is desperate. He has been having medical problems that could be life threatening.  The Drs are still testing him for several things, and some of the possibilities are heriditary and so if he knew he had a family history, those tests would be ran first.

Does anyone know if he can obtain records now that he has a medical reason to have them? If so how does he go about getting them?

SLY · Accepted Answer

As Kitta said, you can contact the White Oak Foundation and they are very helpful.  There are also groups on Yahoo of Search Angels who will help him for free.  One that is very good is SOARINGANGELS@yahoogroups.com  and I know that they have a very qualified angel in IL.  I don't think that there is any charge, or, if there is it would just be for expenses.  

Also, he can contact the court in the county in which his adoption was finalized and ask the judge to open his records.  It doesn't require an attorney and it won't cost anything to try.  The worst they can do is say no.  In the case of medical issues, that would likely qualify as a Compelling Reason, and the court could order the records unsealed and the OBC to be given you.

Anonymous · Answer

If you are relinquishing custody, by law, the father's family gets him. The father can't have custody as a sex offender, but his mother is legally free and clear to take the baby, and will get him. Provided she's willing to kick out her son. You have to convince the baby's father to relinquish or there's no way for him to be adopted. If the father signs the papers, the mother can try to get custody, but the adoption will be pushed through. You have my sympathy. This situation really sucks! EDIT TO ADD: What we all WANT to happen and the actual law are 2 different things here. Of course we don't want the baby with the unloving grandma and the sex offender dad. BY LAW the baby goes with family. Always. Marriage means nothing. Blood kinship. That's what matters. If you are giving up your baby, you have no say in where he winds up. Same with any other adoption. Once you sign away your rights - YOU HAVE NO SAY in what happens. The law kicks in. Even in adoption situations. If the mother is out of the picture, they go to the father. If neither one is able to take the child, they go to the grandparents. Then the child's aunts and uncles on both sides of the family... We don't like it, but that's the way the LAW works.

cricketlady · Answer

Contact Catholic Charities and explain the situation and ask them to provide medical records only.
If they don't comply notify Dept of Children Family Services in Springfield,Il. All private agencies answer to someone and we know who that someone is.
Thank God disclosure of medical, social, and family history is now required before adoption is final
and in the case of foster care these things are required by policy in writing with-in 10 days of foster care placement.

dontknow86 · Answer

No, You can't however get him to sign up on every site out there! Most are free! All he has to do is put all the info he knows on them like date of birth,city,state and anything else he might know. Here is a great one adoption.com  Email me if you need any help. Im a pretty good stalker.

kitta · Answer

Try this link for help in Illinois:

http://www.whiteoakfoundation.org/

They should be able to tell you what procedures to follow.

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Can you get your adoption records in a life threatening situation?

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