Access to Adoption Records

Obtaining Non-Identifying Information:

Non-identifying information is available to

• The adoptive parents or a guardian of the adoptee
• The adoptee who is age 18 or older
• If the adoptee has died, the adoptee's spouse if he or she is the legal parent of the adoptee's child or the guardian of any child of the adoptee
• If the adoptee has died, any child of the adoptee who is age 18 or older
• The birth parents or other birth children of the birth parents

Access to Nonidentifying Information
Citation: Rev. Stat. §§ 8-121; 8-129

Nonidentifying information may be released upon request to any of the persons listed above. Nonidentifying information may include the health and genetic history of the birth parents and members of the birth parents' families.

Mutual Access to Identifying Information
Citation: Rev. Stat. § 8-121

Court personnel, the division, an attorney assisting in a direct placement adoption, or an agency may provide partial or complete identifying information between a birth parent and adoptive parent when the parties mutually agree to share specific identifying information and make a written request to the court, the division, or the agency.

A person may petition the court to obtain information relating to an adoption in the possession of the court, the division, or any agency or attorney involved in the adoption. The court shall not release identifying information unless the person requesting the information has established a compelling need for disclosure or consent has been obtained.

An adoptee age 18 or older or a birth parent may file at any time with the court and the agency, division, or attorney who participated in the adoption a notarized statement granting consent, withholding consent, or withdrawing a consent previously given for the release of confidential information. If an adoptee who is 18 or older and the birth mother or birth father have filed consent to the release of confidential information, the court may disclose the information, except identifying information relating to a birth parent who did not grant written consent.

Access to Original Birth Certificate
Citation: Rev. Stat. § 36-337

The original birth certificate can be made available only upon a court order or as prescribed by rule.

Using a Confidential Intermediary:

The following parties may use the services of a confidential intermediary:

• birth siblings age 21 or older;
• adoptive parents or legal guardians of adopted adults age 18 or older;
• adopted adults age 21 or older;
• the immediate, adult relatives (age 21 or older) of a deceased adopted adult;
• birth parents; or
• birth grandparents if birth parents are deceased.

A confidential intermediary must obtain written consent from both parties before releasing information. Adoptive parents may file an affidavit that prohibits the confidential intermediary from contacting the adopted adult unless the adoptive parents remove the affidavit or the adopted adult files an affidavit stating that he or she knows he or she is adopted and wishes to make contact with the birth parents. Birth parents can file an affidavit prohibiting contact with birth siblings.

Contact:

Arizona Confidential Intermediary Program
Arizona Supreme Court
Attn: Torin Scott
1501 W. Washington
Phoenix AZ 85007
(602) 542-9586 or (602) 542-9580
Email:
http://www.supreme.state.az.us/cip/

Providing Information:

Supplemental information may be placed in the file by any of the following parties: birth parents, adopted adult, adoptive parents, or family of the adopted adult.

Contact:

The Arizona Supreme Court

Credits: Child Welfare Information Gateway (http://www.childwelfare.gov)

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Note: Our authors are dedicated to honest, engaged, informed, intelligent, and open conversation about adoption. The opinions expressed here may not reflect the views of Adoption.com.