Getting adoption info: court or agency?

Question

I'm 19 years old and was adopted at birth in Sarasota, FL. It was a closed adoption, so I know getting information on my birth parents will be difficult...but I'm wondering which place would be better to start with? The agency, or the court house? I don't want medical records and things of that nature...we have all that. I would like to know whereabouts that they were around when I was put up for adoption...as well as possible names of parents or siblings.

So which place? Or are there other starting places. Any information would be great.

Thank you.

Answer 1

hey I live near you.  either one would be OK to go to first, then go to the other.  you are old enough to get the information you want and with the Freedom of Information Act, they both should tell you what you want to know.

Answer 2

Agency first, then go to those link's Theresa suggested. Then courthouse, once you know specifically what you're looking for.

Answer 3

Try typing something like 'Tracing my birth family' into Google. In the UK we have agencies that help children to trace their birth families, but the outcome of these searches can often be very upsetting. Do you know why you were put up for adoption? If it was because of abuse, do you really want to meet your birth family? If you were the result of a teenage pregnancy, what if your birth mother has a new life? How would it affect you if you didn't like your birth family? How will your adoptive parents feel about it?

There are a lot of things you need to think about. If you find the right agency, they will talk you through all the points that you will need to consider. If you do go ahead, I hope it works out well for you.

Answer 4

I think it depends on the agency. Some agencies are OK  to adoptees, others will charge an arm and a leg and never do anything, or outright lie to you.

I think the best bet would be to network with other adoptees who were placed through your agency.

First off - here's everything about Florida --

http://adopteerights.net/nulliusfilius/?...

There are also a number of Florida adoptee groups listed on that page

And also - I'd join this support group:

http://www.findinginflorida.org/

Good luck

Answer 5

Hi, I was adopted too.  My adoption was also closed.  When I called the court system to see if I could open my file to find my biological, they said not with out a court order, or serious illness, and some other blah blah blah.  

So here is how I found my biological family:

I knew my birthdate, I knew what hospital I was born at,  so I went to the local news paper and on the day I was born there were 2 boys born and reported to the news paper, since I am a girl, I thought well if she had the baby in the afternoon it might have been to late to get in the paper that day.  So I checked the next day. and 2 girls were born.  I wrote down the names of the parents of those two babies.

Then I went to the first phone booth I could find (oviously this was before cell phones), I wrote down every number in the phone book with the last names from the newspaper.  I took these numbers home.  I called the first number, told them I was trying to find my birth family,  no luck.  I called the second, and a women answered, I explained, she asked me to hold on, a man answered the phone, I told him the same story, and he said, he was my bio father.

Your search might not be this easy but, it worked for me.  10 years later I have a very close relationship with one of my sisters, but I have 7 siblings in all, and have met each.

I had never had a swister until I met her.  she looks like my twin but she is 11 months younger.  

Just be prepared for any thing.  keep an opened mind. document your plight, and don't expect anything specific, some want the attention, some don't,  my bio father, was and still is very ashamed of why I was put up for adoption and doesnt care to have a relationship.  which is fine by me.  

I really hope this helps you, just finding my sister, made this all worth it for me.  and I do have a friendly relationship with my bio mother and other siblings.  

Good Luck, and Gods speed!!