(a) General rule.--All court and agency records shall be maintained as a permanent record and withheld from inspection except as provided under this chapter.
(b) Who may access court or agency records.--Only the following are authorized to access court or agency records for the purpose of releasing nonidentifying or identifying information under this chapter:
(1) The court which finalized the adoption.
(2) The agency that coordinated the adoption.
(3) A successor agency authorized by the court which finalized the adoption.
(c) Disposition of agency records upon closure.--
(1) As soon as practicable, but not less than 30 days prior to the date on which an agency ceases to operate as a legal entity in this Commonwealth, the agency shall, unless it has applied to operate as a new legal entity, notify the department of its intention to cease operating.
(2) Within this time period, the agency shall submit a plan to the department relating to the closure and transfer of case records to another agency. The plan shall be subject to approval by the department.
(3) In preparation for its closure and transfer of case records, the agency shall label its case records to identify the respective court that finalized an adoption or where a petition to terminate parental rights or to adopt has been filed.
(4) The department shall notify each court so identified by the agency of the name, address and telephone number of the agency to which case records have been transferred.
Structure Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Chapter 29 - Decrees and Records
Section 2901 - Time of entry of decree of adoption
Section 2902 - Requirements and form of decree of adoption
Section 2903 - Retention of parental status
Section 2904 - Name of adoptee
Section 2905 - Impounding of proceedings and access to records (Repealed)
Section 2907 - Certificate of adoption
Section 2908 - Foreign decree of adoption
Section 2909 - Medical history information (Repealed)
Section 2910 - Penalty for unauthorized disclosure
Section 2912 - Combined request for information
Section 2913 - Reasonable fees
Section 2914 - Immunity from liability
Section 2915 - Court and agency records
Section 2916 - Attorney records
Section 2921 - Establishment of registry
Section 2922 - Informational material
Section 2923 - Filing information with registry
Section 2924 - Who may request information from registry
Section 2925 - Providing information from registry
Section 2926 - Rules and regulations
Section 2931 - Access to information
Section 2932 - Nonidentifying information
Section 2933 - Identifying information
Section 2934 - Statement of medical and social history information
Section 2935 - Confidentiality
Section 2936 - Refusal to search