Pennsylvania Code › Title 231 - RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE › Part II - Orphans' COURT RULES › Chapter XV - ADOPTIONS › Rule 15.22 - Dissemination and Release of Information in the Court File

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 28, July 13, 2024
(a) One seeking non-identifying or
				identifying information or contact shall file a written request with the clerk
				where the adoption decree was entered and the written request shall contain the
				following information to the extent known:
(1)
				the name of the court that entered the adoption decree and the date of the
				adoption decree;
(2) the
				requester's relationship to the adoption proceeding as the adopted individual,
				the adopting parents, the adopted individual's legal guardian, a descendant of
				the adopted individual, a birth parent, a parent of a birth parent, or a birth
				sibling of the adopted individual; and
(A) If
				the requester is the adopted individual, the adopted individual's birth date
				and that he or she has attained 18 years of age.
(B) If the requester is an adopting parent,
				the adopted individual's birth date and that the adopted individual has not
				attained 18 years of age or has attained 18 years of age and been adjudicated
				incapacitated, including attaching a copy of the court decree of incapacity, or
				that the adopted individual is deceased, including attaching a copy of the
				death certificate.
(C) If the
				requester is a legal guardian of the adopted individual, the adopted
				individual's birth date and that the adopted individual has not attained 18
				years of age or has attained 18 years of age and been adjudicated
				incapacitated, including attaching a copy of the court decree of
				incapacity.
(D) If the requester is
				a descendant of the adopted individual, a statement that the adopted individual
				is deceased, including attaching a copy of the death certificate.
(E) If the requester is a parent of a birth
				parent, a statement that the birth parent either consents to the request for
				information or contact, has been adjudicated incapacitated, or is deceased,
				including attaching a signed copy of the birth parent's consent, a copy of the
				court decree of incapacity, or a copy of the death certificate, as
				applicable.
(F) If the requester is
				related to the adopted individual as a sibling through either one or both of
				the birth parents, the birth date of the requester, that the requester has
				attained 21 years of age, and that either the requester remained in the custody
				of his or her parent and that this birth parent consents to the request for
				information or contact, has been adjudicated incapacitated, or is deceased,
				including attaching a signed copy of the birth parent's consent, a copy of the
				court decree of incapacity, or a copy of the death certificate, as applicable,
				or that the requester was adopted out of the birth family or did not remain in
				the custody of the birth parent, including a copy of the requester's adoption
				decree or the court order granting legal or physical custody of the requester
				to another.
(3) a general
				description of the individual who is the subject of the request explaining the
				subject's relationship to the adoption proceeding as the adopted individual, a
				birth parent, a parent of a birth parent, or a birth sibling of the adopted
				individual. In addition:
(A) If the subject of
				the request is the adopted individual, the adopted individual's birth date and
				that the adopted individual has attained 21 years of age.
(B) If the subject of the request is a parent
				of a birth parent, the adopted individual's birth date, that the adopted
				individual has attained 21 years of age, and that the birth parent either
				consents to the request for information or contact, has been adjudicated
				incapacitated, or is deceased, including attaching a signed copy of the birth
				parent's consent, a copy of the court decree of incapacity, or a copy of the
				death certificate, as applicable.
(C) If the subject of the request is related
				to the adopted individual as a sibling through either one or both of the birth
				parents, the birth dates of both the adopted individual and his or her birth
				sibling, that both the adopted individual and the birth sibling have attained
				21 years of age, and that either the birth sibling remained in the custody of
				his or her parent and that this birth parent consents to the request for
				information or contact, has been adjudicated incapacitated, or is deceased,
				including attaching a signed copy of the birth parent's consent, a copy of the
				court decree of incapacity, or a copy of the death certificate, as applicable,
				or that the birth sibling was adopted out of the birth family or did not remain
				in the custody of the birth parent, including a copy of the birth sibling's
				adoption decree or the court order granting legal or physical custody of the
				birth sibling to another.