reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
TN Code § 36-1-125 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 36 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 1 - Adoption|Part 1 - General Provisions|§ 36-1-125. Confidentiality of Records — Penalties for Unauthorized Disclosure — Protected Orders

  All adoption records, sealed adoption records, or sealed records held by a court, the department, a licensed child-placing agency, a licensed clinical social worker or any other person, and not yet under seal, or any sealed adoption records or sealed records that have been unsealed for any reason, any post-adoption records, and any adoption assistance records are confidential and shall not be subject to disclosure except as provided in this part.   Adoption records, home studies or preliminary home studies may be utilized by the judge of the court, by the clerk of the court, or by the department, or by a licensed child-placing agency or a licensed clinical social worker, in any act consistent with the litigation of the adoption, custody or guardianship proceedings involving a person in any court, or for the placement, study, or supervision of a person for whom an adoption or custody or guardianship proceeding is pending in any court, and which records may be necessary to carry out such judge's, clerk's, department's, agency's, or social worker's duties consistent with the law.   If any adoption records, sealed adoption records, sealed records, post-adoption records, adoption assistance records, home studies, preliminary home studies or information obtained in connection therewith are required by court order under this part to be disclosed for any legal proceeding other than the adoption proceeding or termination of parental rights proceedings, the court in which they are to be utilized shall enter a protective order to restrict their further disclosure or dissemination. Such records, studies, or information shall not become a public record in any legal proceeding.   Unauthorized disclosure of any records, studies or information protected as confidential under this part is a Class A misdemeanor. Unauthorized disclosure of such records for personal gain or for a malicious purpose is a Class E felony.
TN Code § 36-1-128 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 36 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 1 - Adoption|Part 1 - General Provisions|§ 36-1-128. Contact Veto Registry — Persons Eligible to Have Names Entered

  The department shall establish and maintain a contact veto registry for the purposes of permitting registration of the willingness or unwillingness of the persons or classes of persons named herein for contact with persons eligible to have access to any records covered by this part; provided, that the contact veto registry shall not be applicable to records requested pursuant to § 36-1-127(b).   The following persons may have their names entered in the registry either to file a contact veto or to give consent to contact:  A parent, sibling, spouse, lineal ancestor, or lineal descendant of an adopted person or a person for whom records are maintained as described in § 36-1-127(c)(1)(A), either before or after such persons reach twenty-one (21) years of age;   The legal representative of any person described in subdivision (b)(1).     The registry shall contain the following information:  The name of each person who has duly filed a contact veto or who has given consent for further contact;   The address given by the person as the address at which any personal, postal, or telephone contact shall be made by the department;   The date and place of birth of the person, if known;   Any persons whom the person who files a contact veto wishes to exclude from the application of the contact veto pursuant to § 36-1-130(a)(6)(A)(i);   The name, address, and telephone number of the person requesting contact so as to be notified in the event that the contact veto is withdrawn or varied;   The method of contact, if any, to which the person consents, including contact through one (1) or more third parties; and   Any other information that eligible parties wish to release to the other eligible parties.     Within ninety (90) days of January 1, 1996, and periodically thereafter on at least an annual basis, through the use of public service announcements and other forms of media coverage as may be available without cost, the department shall announce the existence of the registry and its services.
TN Code § 36-1-129 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 36 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 1 - Adoption|Part 1 - General Provisions|§ 36-1-129. Procedures for Filing Contact Veto or Giving Consent

   A person eligible to file a contact veto or give consent for further contact may notify the department in writing on a form supplied by the department that such person does or does not object to contact being made with such person by any person or group of persons who are eligible to establish contact. The department shall supply the necessary form upon request of any persons eligible to have their names entered on the registry.   A contact veto is not effectively filed or consent properly given unless the person provides the department with satisfactory proof of such person's identity and completes and files with the department a form from the department containing the relevant information in § 36-1-128(c) and pays any necessary fees.     As part of the surrender under § 36-1-111 or as part of a parental consent, a biological parent or guardian shall indicate in the appropriate place on the surrender or parental consent document whether or not such person wishes to file a contact veto or give consent for further contact, and shall complete the information requirements for registration on the contact veto registry on a form supplied by the department containing the relevant information in § 36-1-128(c). A contact veto is not effectively filed or consent properly given unless the person surrendering or giving a parental consent completes such form at the time of the surrender or parental consent or properly files the form with the department at a later time; provided, that no fee for filing a contact veto or consent to contact shall be required if the veto or consent is completed at the time of the surrender or parental consent. If, for any reason, the person failed to complete a consent for contact or a veto at the time of the surrender or parental consent, the person may do so at a later time after compliance with all provisions for filing, including the payment of all necessary fees.   By filing a contact veto that complies with the requirements of this section, a person is entitled to notification of any inquiry requesting contact with the filing person.   Forms for filing consents for contact or for filing contact vetoes shall be made available by the department in the offices of the clerks of courts with adoption jurisdiction and in the department's state office and county offices.
TN Code § 36-1-132 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 36 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 1 - Adoption|Part 1 - General Provisions|§ 36-1-132. Violation of Contact Veto a Misdemeanor — Injunction and Damages — Attorney's Fees — Using Information to Injure Persons Whose Names Were Obtained

  Any person who has filed a contact veto pursuant to this part or the adopted person or a person for whom records are maintained as described in § 36-1-127(c)(1)(A), or such person's legal representative, shall have a cause of action in the circuit or chancery court for injunctive relief and for compensatory and punitive damages against any person or entity who or that has violated the provisions of the contact veto or for violation of any restrictions on contact with the adopted person or a person for whom records are maintained as described in § 36-1-127(c)(1)(A).   Venue for such action shall be in the county of the residence of the plaintiff, or, if the plaintiff resides out of state, in the county where the adoption petition was originally filed, or if no petition was filed, or if its venue is unknown, in the chancery or circuit court of any county with a population of one hundred thousand (100,000) or greater as established by the federal census of 1990 or any subsequent census.   A certified copy of the sworn statement that was signed pursuant to § 36-1-127(f) or § 36-1-130(a)(6)(A)(vi), by the person against whom the action is brought for violation of the contact veto shall be admissible in the action under this section as conclusive evidence of that person's knowledge of the restrictions imposed by a contact veto or the restrictions imposed by § 36-1-130.   Any person who has filed a contact veto or an adopted person or a person for whom records are maintained as described in § 36-1-127(c)(1)(A), or such person's legal representative, who has prevailed in an action under subsection (a) shall be entitled to recover attorney's fees and all costs of the proceeding from the opposing party or parties.   Any action under this section shall be brought within three (3) years of any contact or attempted contact or violation of other restrictions on contact in violation of this part.   Any person who, after obtaining information under this part, uses such information to cause injury to the person whose name was obtained under this part, commits a Class A misdemeanor. Further, any person who has been injured pursuant to this subsection (f) shall have a cause of action in the circuit or chancery court for injunctive relief and damages, including both compensatory and punitive damages, against any person who uses the information in violation of this subsection (f).   Any person who, in violation of this part, contacts or causes to be contacted a person with respect to whom the contacting person or person causing the contact knows a contact veto has been filed pursuant to this part commits a Class B misdemeanor.
TN Code § 36-1-133 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 36 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 1 - Adoption|Part 1 - General Provisions|§ 36-1-133. Release of Nonidentifying Information Concerning Biological or Legal Family

  Upon written request of an adopted person eighteen (18) years of age or older or of the adoptive parents or guardian of an adopted person under eighteen (18) years of age, the biological or legal relatives of an adopted person, the lineal descendants of the adopted person, or the legal representatives of such persons, the department shall provide to such persons, upon proper identification of such persons by the department, nonidentifying information about the adopted person and such person's biological or legal relatives as may be contained in the adopted person's sealed adoption record, sealed record or post-adoption record.   The information that may be released shall include only the following; provided, that nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize or require the release of any information from a sealed adoption record, sealed record or post-adoption record if such information would lead to the discovery of the identity or whereabouts of the biological or legal relatives of the adopted person, if those biological or legal relatives have not registered their consent as provided under §§ 36-1-128 — 36-1-131, or unless § 36-1-138 is applicable:  The date and time of the birth of the adopted person and such person's weight and other physical characteristics at birth;   The age of the adopted person's biological relatives at the time of such person's birth;   The nationality, ethnic background, race and religious preference of the biological or legal relatives;   The educational level of the biological or legal relatives, general occupation and any talents or hobbies;   A general physical description of the biological or legal relatives, including height, weight, color of hair, color of eyes, complexion and other similar information;   Whether the biological or legal parent had any other children, and if so, any available nonidentifying information about such children; and   Available health history of the adopted person, and the person's biological or legal relatives, including specifically, any psychological or psychiatric information that would be expected to have any substantial effect on the adopted person's mental or physical health.     Whenever the department releases information pursuant to this section and it appears from the record that the adopted person who has sought information has been adopted two (2) or more times, the department shall specify whether the information released pertains to the adopted person's birth parents or to any intervening adoptive parent or parents.
TN Code § 36-1-134 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 36 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 1 - Adoption|Part 1 - General Provisions|§ 36-1-134. Transmission of Information Between Affected Parties — Access to Records of Deceased or Disabled Persons — Updating of Information to Allow Contact

   The department, or a licensed child-placing agency or the licensed clinical social worker that has had a prior relationship with the persons stated in § 36-1-133(a) through placement of a child or through a home study process and that maintains a limited record or post-adoption record, shall, subject to the written consent of each party and only in any situation where contact has been sought, transmit between an adopted person twenty-one (21) years of age or older or a person for whom records are maintained as described in § 36-1-127(c)(1)(A), or such person's legal representative, and such person's parent, sibling, lineal ancestor or lineal descendant any written, photographic, video or audio communication that such entity may have, and that is not contained in the records of the department, the licensed child-placing agency or the licensed clinical social worker, even if no direct contact is permitted or desired.   If an adopted person or a person for whom records are maintained as described in § 36-1-127(c)(1)(A) is deceased, or is disabled as defined for purposes of appointment of a conservator under title 34, the lineal descendants of such person may petition the court pursuant § 36-1-138(c)(7), to be given access to the records of such person, and to transmit or receive the information permitted by this section. A lineal descendant given access to records under this subdivision (a)(2) is subject to the requirements of the contact veto process.     The adopted person or other persons for whom records are maintained as described in § 36-1-127(c)(1)(A), or such person's legal representative, or a person eligible to file a contact veto may, in writing from time-to-time to the department, a licensed child-placing agency, or the licensed clinical social worker, update such person's personal information, addresses, and telephone numbers in order to allow periodic contact by the department for subsequent search requests, or for other contact by the department or the licensed child-placing agency or the licensed clinical social worker.   The licensed child-placing agency or licensed clinical social worker receiving any updated information pursuant to this section shall provide such information to the department to be included in the post-adoption record for future reference.
TN Code § 36-1-136 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 36 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 1 - Adoption|Part 1 - General Provisions|§ 36-1-136. Notification Made as Part of Search, Contact or Identifying Requests

   Any notification required to be made as part of a search or a contact or an identifying request pursuant to this part for an adopted person or a person for whom records are maintained as described under § 36-1-127(c)(1)(A), shall be made with such persons who are twenty-one (21) years of age or older, except as otherwise provided by § 36-1-135, or with the legal representative of such persons;   Any notification for search or contact requests involving the biological or legal relative, who is under twenty-one (21) years of age, of the adopted person or person for whom records are maintained as described under § 36-1-127(c)(1)(A), shall be with the parents or legal representative of such biological or legal relative; and   Any notification involving any other persons who are subject to contact for search requests or contact requests under this part shall be made with those persons who are twenty-one (21) years of age or older or with the known legal representative of any such persons.     Any decision to permit contact or to permit the disclosure of information authorized by this part to be disclosed under subsection (a) shall be made, as the case may be:  By the adopted person or a person for whom records are maintained as described under § 36-1-127(c)(1)(A) and in subdivision (a)(1), twenty-one (21) years of age or older, or such person's legal representative, except as otherwise provided by § 36-1-135;   By the parents or by the legal representative of the biological or legal relative in subdivision (a)(2), who is under twenty-one (21) years of age, of the adopted person or person for whom records are maintained as described under § 36-1-127(c)(1)(A); or   By those other persons in subdivision (a)(3) who are twenty-one (21) years of age or older or by the known legal representative of any such persons.
TN Code § 36-1-137 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 36 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 1 - Adoption|Part 1 - General Provisions|§ 36-1-137. Inability of Department to Verify Adoptive Status of Relationships — Waiting Period to Request Further Searches — Limitations on Searches

  If, after reviewing the sealed adoption records, the sealed records or the post-adoption records, and any other credible evidence, and after conducting a diligent search and making any other reasonable inquiries as to the adoptive status of a requesting party or the relationship of the biological or legal relatives to the adopted person or any person for whom records are maintained as described in § 36-1-127(c)(1)(A), or of the adopted person or any person for whom records are maintained as described in § 36-1-127(c)(1)(A), to a biological or legal relative, as the case may be, the department is unable to verify the requesting party's adoptive status or the legal, biological, or sibling relationships of the persons seeking to establish contact to the persons sought or the status of any legal representatives, then the department shall notify the requesting party of this fact and the basis for the inability to verify the relationship, but shall not provide access to any record to the requesting party, or otherwise authorize contact with the person sought or transmit information between any parties.   No additional searches shall be required to be made pursuant to this part in an effort to establish relationships, status or contact for a period of six (6) months from the date of the department's response to the requesting party unless satisfactory evidence is presented to the department in the interim to justify additional searches or unless, in the department's discretion, circumstances warrant such further attempts.   The department shall not attempt further contact with the person sought if that person specifically requests that no further contact be made unless that person or the person's legal representative withdraws such request in writing; provided, that if the person's relationship to the requesting party is confirmed by the person sought or by other evidence satisfactory to the department, the department shall notify such person of the requirement for filing of a contact veto pursuant to §§ 36-1-128, 36-1-129, and 36-1-131(b)(2), and that failure to file the contact veto pursuant to those sections shall permit the requesting party to establish contact.   No more than two (2) records search or contact attempts shall be required to be made by the department, unless, in the department's discretion, circumstances warrant further attempts.
TN Code § 36-1-139 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 36 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 1 - Adoption|Part 1 - General Provisions|§ 36-1-139. Penalty for Providing False Information Related to Information Requests

 Any person who or entity that knowingly provides false information to the department, a licensed child-placing agency or licensed clinical social worker, or the court in connection with any of the provisions of §§ 36-1-125 — 36-1-138 or § 36-1-141, or the rules and regulations of the department that establish procedures for search requests or access to records, commits a Class E felony.
TN Code § 36-1-140 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 36 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 1 - Adoption|Part 1 - General Provisions|§ 36-1-140. Immunity for Actions in Good Faith by Department Personnel and Immunity of Certain Other Persons

  The actions of the personnel of the department, or the departments of health, finance and administration, and general services, or their successors, undertaken in the performance of their duties pursuant to §§ 36-1-125 — 36-1-138 or pursuant to § 36-2-318, or those actions of a licensed child-placing agency or licensed clinical social worker when acting pursuant to § 36-1-134, within the scope of its authority shall be presumed to be undertaken in good faith and the personnel of these departments or licensed child-placing agencies or the licensed clinical social worker and the officers and agents of the state shall thereby be entitled to absolute immunity from any liability, civil or criminal, that might otherwise be incurred or imposed. The presumption shall only be overcome by clear and convincing evidence that the actions were malicious or were for personal gain.   The absolute immunity of subsection (a) shall extend to information provided by any of the entities, their officers, personnel or agents under subsection (a) that is obtained from another source and that is either incorrect or false.   No information that is released pursuant to this part concerning a biological or legal parent or guardian who voluntarily surrendered or consented to adoption of a child shall be the basis for any civil liability of the biological or legal parent or guardian.