If you're in a clinical trial that is about genetics or genes or family inheritance of medical or psychological problems, I think a letter from your doctor to a judge could be persuasive. While I haven't tried this, I do know such clinical trials and research projects do exist. A friend with OCD, whose father and brother also had OCD entered into one of these research studies at a university. They were asked about parents and grandparents.
What's happening with prostate or ovarian cancer research? Does "long illness" in an obituary for GGrandpa mean the same illness your dad or you have? Do you have death certificates?
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What you want is the information you would get if your adoption documents were unsealed.
First do a little research on the net or make some calls. Start with the county that has your birth certificate which, if you were adopted, was redone to replace the original. (Birth certificates should be renamed to PARENTAGE CERTIICATES!) Some county web sites will tell you that they cannot release any information other than non-identifying information. That's a start. You should seek this information out. It may be a little or a lot. Others will actually give you some advice on how to go about things. It's usually a Children's and Family Services aspect of the government that is in charge of adoption records,
You make an appointment to see a worker at the County where your adoption took place in person. Sometimes when a birth parent has sent a letter in saying it is OK to release more information to the child and it's there in your file, your appointment could go surprisingly well.
Let me explain what an appointment to get that NONIDENTIFYING information can be like. You sit across a desk from another human who has your file - a government employee who maybe has a degree in social work. They can read the file. You can't.
It's unfair.
No, don't try to bribe them.
YOU CAN ASK QUESTIONS WITH A YES OR NO ANSWER.
Such as:
Does my mother's name begin with an A? With a B? Yes, people have gone through the alphabet one letter at a time. Is she between the ages of 21 and 25? Is she 22?
I've been told you should go in with a notebook and that you should persist with your questions and maybe -maybe- you'll find yourself alone with your file for a few minutes. Officially they are legally not allowed to reveal names of births parents, date of birth of the birth mother, and so on.
In today's modern attitudes about Adoption, which have been influenced by television shows featuring reunions and an acceptance of far less privacy than people wished to have in the pre-Internet era, you could find yourself with a sympathetic character who personally believes you have a right.
Ssshhhh.
It's not in their job description to excuse themselves to use the bathroom and leave your file on the desk.
Have courage.
C 2021 Ancestry Worship Genealogy
Note: A genealogist specializing in adoption swears this scenario has been played out in California. I wasn't there.
Note: In my opinion the information gained from such an encounter will help you add more information in an Adoption Registry. Some counties say they will help you make contact.
Adoption Strategies - AWG
