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Section 3107.47 – Adult adoptee or adoptive parent may request copy of file

May 14, 2021 | Family Law, Ohio

(A) An adopted person age twenty-one or older, or an adoptive parent of an adopted person at least age eighteen but under age twenty-one, may submit a request to the department of health for a copy of the contents of the adopted person’s adoption file. If the adopted person includes with the request the adopted person’s notarized signature and copies of two items of identification, or the adoptive parent includes with the request the adoptive parent’s notarized signature and copies of two items of identification, the department shall do the following:

(1) If there is not an effective denial of release form for either birth parent in the adopted person’s adoption file and the fee required by section 3705.241 of the Revised Code is paid, provide the adopted person or adoptive parent a copy of the contents of the adopted person’s adoption file;
(2) If there is an effective denial of release form for each birth parent in the adopted person’s adoption file, refuse to provide the adopted person or adoptive parent a copy of the contents of the adopted person’s adoption file;
(3) If there is an effective denial of release form for only one of the birth parents in the adopted person’s adoption file and the fee required by section 3705.241 of the Revised Code is paid, provide the adopted person or adoptive parent a copy of the contents of the adopted person’s adoption file with all identifying information about the birth parent for whom there is an effective denial of release form deleted.
(B) If an adopted person or adoptive parent is denied a copy of the contents of the adopted person’s adoption file or receives a copy of the contents with identifying information about one of the birth parents deleted, the department of health shall inform the adopted person or adoptive parent that it will notify the adopted person or adoptive parent if the department subsequently receives an authorization of release form from one or both birth parents and the adopted person or adoptive parent submits to the department a request to be notified. An adopted person or adoptive parent who submits a request to be notified shall provide the department the adopted person’s or adoptive parent’s address and notify the department of any change of address. An adopted person or adoptive parent who subsequently decides not to be notified may submit a statement with the department for the department not to notify the adopted person or adoptive parent.

The department shall notify the adopted person or adoptive parent if the department receives an authorization of release form from one or both birth parents and the adopted person or adoptive parent submitted a request to be notified and has not subsequently submitted a statement not to be notified. If the adopted person or adoptive parent contacts the department after being notified and indicates a desire to receive the information the department may provide, the department shall provide the adopted person or adoptive parent information in accordance with division (A) of this section.

R.C. ยง 3107.47

Effective Date: 09-18-1996 .