Getting adoption records in Memphis requires filing out paperwork and forms.
Adoption records are available in Memphis, Tennessee, for anyone that was surrendered for adoption, due to a 1999 Tennessee Supreme Court ruling. The ruling upheld a 1996 law that allowed for all records created during or after 1951 to be released to adopted children, per their request. Tennessee's Department of Children's Services oversees adoption records and handles all applications for their release.
Instructions
1. Call Tennessee's Department of Children's Services Post Adoption Unit to begin the application process. Most adoption services, including requests for records, take place off-line and in-person. The Post Adoption Unit will begin the record retrieval process.
2. Send the Post Adoption Unit proof of relationship, by providing your birth certificate and records that show identity, age and location. The Post Adoption Unit will use these records to determine your eligibility to receive adoption records.
3. Pay a fee to the Fiscal Services Section of the Department of Children's Services, to receive adoption records. Fee waivers may be submitted to Children's Services through a written request. People receiving means-tested state aid, like TennCare or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, will not be charged a fee.
Tags: Adoption Unit, Children Services, Post Adoption, Post Adoption Unit, adoption records, Department Children