Effective January 1, 2007 adult adoptees may get their original birth certificate in CO if certain criteria is met. It is my understanding that CO passed this law a year ago and was supposed to have a state and national awareness campaign but that hasn’t seemed to have happened for whatever reason.

You can access the CO law on Lexis Nexis at http://198.187.128.12/colorado/lpext.dll?f=templates&fn=fs-main.htm&2.0 and click your way to title 19 section 5-305.

If I am understanding correctly adult adoptees and natural parents who have been previously reunited may obtain the adoptees original birth certificate due to a new law. In other words, if your adoption was finalized prior to 9-1-1999 upon presentation of a certified order and proper identification that shows the CI assigned to a particular case CO Heath Statistics and Vital Record staff will search for CO Voluntary Adoption Registry consent form and original and/or amended birth certificates.

If a court order is presented if should specify whether a certified copy can be issued to the CI or whether the CI may only review the documents.

In addition persons who have been previously matched in the CO Voluntary Adoption Registry since 1983 will be issued their original birth certificates by mutual consent of the parties upon proof of identification. A Consent to Release an Original Birth Certificate form must be completed.

Persons who have been previously matched by CI Services since 1989 and in cases where CO Health Statistics and Vital Records holds the order of appointment of the CI, original birth certificates will be issued to the adult adoptee by mutual consent of the parties upon proof of identification.

Original birth certificates will be released to persons who complete the consent to release an original birth certificate form and affidavit of relationship if required. The consent form will define eligible parties.

Sealed files may also be opened and original certificates supplied in the following circumstances: Upon presentation to CO Health Statistics and Vital Records of a certified court order to open a sealed file and issue the original birth certificate; Upon matching all parties in CO Voluntary Adoption Registry; Upon presentation by an adult adoptee of a certified copy of death certificate of the deceased natural mother and no father is listed on original birth certificate.