Confidential Adoption Law and Legal Definition
Confidential Adoption is a more modern and more positive term that is used to describe what has been traditionally called "closed adoptions." It is the process by where an infant is adopted by another family, and the record of the biological parents is kept sealed.
The following is a state statute on such adoption:
“(a) The files and records of the court during adoption proceedings shall not be open to inspection by persons other than parties to the proceedings, their attorneys, and representatives of the cabinet except under order of the court expressly permitting inspection.
(b) Upon the entry of the final order in the case, the clerk shall place all papers and records in the case in a suitable envelope which shall be sealed and shall not be open for inspection by any person except on written order of the court, except that upon the written consent of the biological parents and upon written order of the Circuit Court all papers and records including all files and records of the Circuit Court during proceedings for termination of parental rights provided in KRS 625.108 shall be open for inspection to any adult adopted person who applies in person or in writing to the Circuit Court as provided in KRS 199.572. Health information received pursuant to KRS 199.525 shall be added to the adoption case file. The clerk of the Circuit Court shall set up a separate docket and order book for adoption cases and these files and records shall be kept locked.
(c) No person having charge of any adoption records shall disclose the names of any parties appearing in such records or furnish any copy of any such records to any person or other entity that does not meet the requirements of KRS 199.572, except upon order of the court which entered the judgment of adoption.
(2) After entry of the adoption judgment, the clerk of the Circuit Court shall promptly report to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services of Kentucky full information as called for on forms furnished by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, necessary to make a new birth certificate conforming to the standard birth certificate form. Upon receipt of this information, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services shall cause to be made a new record of the birth and it shall be filed with the original certificate, and the original certificate shall be stamped with the words, "CONFIDENTIAL -- subject to copy and/or inspection only on written order of the court."[KRS § 199.570]
Legal Definition list
Related Legal Terms
- Abandonment [Intercountry Adoption]
- Accredited Agency [Adoption]
- Accredited Body [Adoption]
- Accrediting Entity [Adoption]
- Adoption
- Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS)
- Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA)
- Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980
- Adoption Disruption
- Adoption Dissolution
