I tried the birth certificate route and got the changed/adopted record ~ ~ not the original at all. Fortunately the actual birth records were in our family already but for people wanting an actual original ~ are you really able to get them now? Also I am sure there is still a charge for an Intermediary ~ there was one we were were looking for our siblings. Antoinette (Tacoma, Washington) ----- Original Message ----- From: <RGWSPOON@aol.com> To: <PSRoots-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2003 4:33 PM Subject: Re: [PSRoots] Puyallup Area High Schools > Dave, > > Has Wendy tried the services of a Confidential Intermediator to review her > adoption records and local her birth mother? > > Revised Code of Washington, Title 26, Chapter 26.33 covers adoptions. Of > particular interest are: > Section 26.33.340: Department, agency, and court files confidential -- > Limited disclosure of information. > Section 26.33.343: Search for birth parent or adopted child -- > Confidential intermediator. > Section 26.33.345: Search for birth parent or adopted child -- Limited > release of information -- Noncertified copies of original birth certificate. > Section 26.33.347: Consent or refusal to release adoptee's identifying > information -- Desire to be contacted -- Certified statement. > > Access is improving for more recently adopted individuals. RCW 26.33.345 > subsection (3) states: "For adoptions finalized after October 1, 1993, the > department of health shall make available a noncertified copy of the original > birth certificate to the adoptee after the adoptee's eighteenth birthday > unless the birth parent has filed an affidavit of nondisclosure." > > It appears that because of the implied guarantee of privacy for the birth > parents, adoptions finalized before October 1, 1993, must go to the courts > and Certified Intermediators for access to records and contact between birth > parents and adopted children. > > I am not a lawyer, so this is a layman's view of what the RCW says. Check > with your county's Clerk of the Court to find out how to contact the local > Confidential Intermediator. > > Bob Witherspoon > >