In the Court of Common Pleas
  
Of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
  
Orphans’ Court Division
  
1700 Frick Building
  
437 Grant Street
  
Pittsburgh, PA  15219
 
 
April 12, 2001 


Dear Ms. Shay: 

In response to your letter of April 4, 1001, an adopted person in 
Pennsylvania may request information from his or her adoption 
record, including a request to locate birthparents, by placing the request in 
writing and sending the signed letter here, to the Orphans’ Court, at the 
address shown above. 

Upon receipt of the adoptee’s letter, the Court will assign an agent to 
handle the adoptee’s request. That agent can provide non-identifying 
information to the adoptee, begin a search for the biological parent(s), or 
with permission of the birthparent(s), may provide identifying information to 
the adoptee.  The cost for receiving information or for a search will vary, 
depending upon which agent is assigned. The agent assigned, according to 
statute must either be the local“county children and youth agency” or a 
licensed private agency which provides adoption services. 

Pennsylvania law does not, at present, permit biological parents to request a 
search for the child place for adoption.  A birthparent may send a “waiver of 
confidentiality” to the Orphans’ Court, which will be placed in the file of 
the adoptee and will indicate the willingness of the parent to have contact 
with the adoptee, in the event the adoptee should request a search for a 
birthparent(s). 

If “waivers of confidentiality” are on file from both the adoptee and the 
biological parent(s), then an agent would be assigned to act asthe 
intermediary in setting up a reunion, if that is what the parties' desire. 

The names of the agencies the Court assigns are as follows: 

            The Adoption Connection
  
            Allegheny County Children, Youth and Family Services
  
            Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Inc.
  
            The Children’s Home of Pittsburgh
  
            Genesis
  
            Jewish Family and Children’s Services
  
            Lutheran Services Society
  

I am enclosing the Orphans’ Court Adoption Search brochure and a separate 
form which indicates the information we need in order to searchfor an 
adoption record. The names, addresses and phone numbers here at the Court are 
provided on this form. 

I hope I have responded to all your questions.  The answers to many other 
typically asked questions are contained in the enclosed brochure. 

Very truly yours, 

Janice McNamara 
Adoption Coordinator 

  
[NOTE:  A copy of the Common Questions brochure is on PAC’s Web site at: http://hometown.aol.com/gshay/page3.html] 

Procedures on Petitioning the Courts 
As to Adoptee’s Requests 


The adoptee must put his/her request in writing to the Courts.  In that 
letter, we need adoptee’s Date of Birth, full adoptive name; adoptive parents 
full name; the date ofadoption (if known.)  If you have any other information 
as to your adoption, please supply that also. 
Be specific as to what you need done. If you want non-identifying 
information, medical information or search for birth parents, make sure you 
state that.  This Court does not supply you with information on you or your 
birth parents.  The Court will appoint an agent to beassigned to supply you 
with non-identifying or medical information or the actual search.  Due to the 
volume of search requests, there is a waiting list with most agencies.  Any 
fees involved in this process are levied by the search agent, not the Court. 

Mail your letter to: 

Court of Common Pleas
  
Orphans’ Court Division
 
1700 Frick Building 
 
437 Grant Street
  
Pittsburgh, PA  15219
  

Attention:  Janice McNamara, Adoption Coordinator 

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT, that your current address, current telephone number 
(day and evening) is in your letter and please do not forget to sign your 
letter. 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact either Jan 
McNamara at (412) 350-54579 or Leacy A. Brown, Clerk Typist(2) at (412) 
350-5749. 

                  3-1-99 from Janice McNamara, Orphans' Court 

                  An adopted person who wishes to obtain either identifying or non-identifying
                  information on his or her adoption should place the request in writing and
                  send it to the Adoption Department at the above address.   This Department
                  will retrieve the file and assign an agent to review the record and respond to
                  the adoptee.  The search agent may then provide the adoptee with non-
                  identifying information, or if the person wishes more, in the way of
                  identifying information, may begin a search for biological parents in order to
                  obtain there permission before divulging any identifying information to the
                  adoptee. Any fees involved in this process are levied by the search agent, not
                  by the Court.

                  The Adoption Department will place either a letter waiving confidentiality or
                  an official "Waiver of Confidentiality" form received from either a
                  birthparent or an adoptee, in the adoption file. The "waiver" should be sent
                  directly here, to the Adoption Department, the fille will be pulled and the
                  "waiver" placed into it.  We will then send a letter advising either the parent 
                  or adoptee that we have done so.

                  If both adoptee and the birthparent have filed a "Waiver of Confidentiality,"
                  a search agent would still be assigned to contact the parties, verify the
                  documents, and then acts as intermediary in imparting the desired information
                  or instituting a reunion, if that is desired.

                  The use of a search agent in these matters, besides being required by law if
                  identifying information is requested, is also used for the purposes of
                  releasing non-identifying information.  Given the volume of requests a county
                  the size of Allegheny County receives and the number of adoptions that have
                  taken place here over the years, it is the most expeditious way of handling
                  these requests.

                  I hope I have addressed all of your questions.  If there is anything I missed
                  or you think of anything else, please feel free to contact me.

                  Very truly yours,
                  Janice McNamara
                  Adoption Coordinator


                  Orphans' Court of Allegheny County
                  437 Grant Street
                  1700 Frick Building
                  Pittsburgh, PA 15219
                  Telephone: (412) 350- 5545
                  Send letters to the Attention of Janice McNamara, Adoption Coordinator

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