Opening a Court Adoption Record

This page provides information on how to access court adoption records. In most cases, a petition to the court is required, but a few important exceptions allow you to request adoption records directly from the court.

How to get copies when a petition is not required

If your situation falls into one of the categories below, you can request copies of the entire sealed court file, including the original birth certificate, directly from the court without filing a petition.

  • Ongoing Case: You are a party to an adoption case that is still in progress.
  • Recent Case: You were a party to a case, and it has been less than 180 days since the final decree was signed.
  • Existing Court Order: You have a court order that gives you permission to access certain records, such as an order granted from a motion to intervene.
  • Adult Adoption: You were adopted as an adult or adopted an adult, and the case was in district court (not juvenile court). 
  • Public Records (After 100 Years): The adoption documents became public on the 100th anniversary of the date the final decree was entered.
  • Birth Certificate (After 100 Years): The birth certificate becomes public 100 years after the day on which the adoptee was born.

Instructions for direct requests to the court

For requests that do not require a petition, you can follow these simple steps:

Contact the the court where the adoption case was filed 

    In Person: Go to the court's front counter and be prepared to show a photo ID. 

    By Email: Email your request to the court, including the case information and a copy of your valid photo ID for verification. You can use this lookup tool to find your court's email address.

Formal Records Request (if needed): If your request is for a large volume of documents, the court may require you to fill out the statewide Request for a Record form provided below. You can submit this form by email, mail, or in person.  

1202XX - Request for a Record: Utah State Courts

Fees for Copies

There may be fees associated with requesting and obtaining copies of recordsd.

    Inspection: You have the right to inspect a record in person at the courthouse for free.

    Paper Copies: The standard fee for a paper copy is $0.25 per page.

    Certified Copies: If you need a certified copy for official purposes, the fee is $4.00 per document, plus the standard cost per page for the copies themselves.

    Staff Time: There is generally no charge for the first 15 minutes of staff time required to locate and retrieve the record. After that, a fee may be charged. You will be notified of any significant fees before the record is provided  

It is best to confirm the exact fees with the court before making a request, especially for a large number of documents.

Utah Code 81-13-103, Utah Rule of Civil Procedure 107(a)  and Utah Code of Judicial Administration 4-202.03.

Accessing an original birth certificate (non-court process)

If your situation does not allow you to request the sealed court file directly from the court, you may still be able to get your original birth certificate through the Office of Vital Records and Statistics. You can use the Utah Mutual-Consent Voluntary Adoption Registry. This registry requires both the adult adoptee and at least one of their birth parents to have registered and given consent for the information to be released.

How to file a petition to open a sealed adoption record

For all other circumstances, including access to a finalized adoption decree more than 180 days after it was signed, a court order is required to open the sealed adoption file. To get that court order, you must file a petition to open a court record, using the form below.

To begin, you must be a party to the adoption proceeding. The court must approve your petition before you will be given access, and it has the final say on what information, if any, will be released.

Your petition must:

  • Show "good cause" for access. You must explain why you need the records and why your reasons for access outweigh the reasons for keeping the file sealed.

  • Clearly list the specific documents you are seeking.

Additional Requirements for Specific Information

The court will ask you to explain why a petition is necessary if the information you need is available from another source:

  • For identifying information (such as names, addresses, and other details that could reveal a person's identity): You must show why the information from the mutual-consent voluntary adoption registry is not sufficient. 
  • For health, genetic, or social information (such as medical history, cause of death, or medical background): You must show why the information available from the Office of Vital Records and Statistics is not sufficient.

Serving the petition

The court may order you to serve the petition on anyone with an interest in the file, such as the placement agency, attorney, birth parents, or the adoptee. If the court orders you to serve the petition, you must follow Utah Rule of Civil Procedure 4. See our web page on serving papers for more information.

The court may hold a hearing on the petition, or could make a decision based solely on the petition and other documents filed with the court by parties who have been served with the petition.

If the court approves the petition, court staff will help you access the documents that may be inspected. You will only be able to access those records that the court identifies in the court order. After you have accessed the records, the court will reseal the file.

Objecting to a petition to open a court adoption record

If you were served with a petition to open a court adoption record and wish to object, you may file an objection using the form below. The court may schedule a hearing to consider your objection. The court will send you notice of the date and time for the hearing. The court may also make a decision without a hearing, based on the petition and your objection.

Forms

Some forms may not apply in all cases. Use the Checklist to help you understand and complete the forms. The Checklist is not filed with the court or served on the other party. You must complete a form before you file.

Forms to petition the court to open an adoption record

Forms to oppose a petition to the court to open an adoption record

  • Checklist - PDF | Word
  • 1005XX
  • 1111GE

 

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