Under current New Jersey law, when a person is adopted, a new birth certificate is issued showing the name of the adopting parent(s) and the original birth certificate, as well as the adoption pleadings, are placed under seal.  As a result, an adopted person may not obtain the name(s) of their birth parents.

Pending legislation amends the current law and provides that an adopted person who is over 18, or the adoptive parent of a minor adopted person, may obtain the adopted person’s original birth certificate upon written, notarized request.

If the Governor signs this bill into law, I will provide more details concerning this legislation.