§48-23-101. Policy regarding persons obtaining identifying information after adoption.
(a) Adoption is based upon the legal termination of parental rights and responsibilities of birth parents and the creation of the legal relationship of parent and child between an adoptee and his or her adoptive parents. These legal and social premises underlying adoption must be maintained. The Legislature recognizes that some adults who were adopted as children have a strong desire to obtain identifying information about their birth parents while other such adult adoptees have no such desire. The Legislature further recognizes that some birth parents have a strong desire to obtain identifying information about their biological children who were surrendered for adoption, while other birth parents have no such desire.
(b) The Legislature fully recognizes the right to privacy and confidentiality of:
(1) Birth parents whose children were adopted;
(2) The adoptees; and
(3) The adoptive parents.
Structure West Virginia Code
Chapter 48. Domestic Relations
Article 23. Voluntary Adoption Registry
§48-23-101. Policy Regarding Persons Obtaining Identifying Information After Adoption
§48-23-102. Legislative Purpose
§48-23-201. Applicability of Definitions
§48-23-206. Genetic and Social History Defined
§48-23-207. Health History Defined
§48-23-208. Mutual Consent Voluntary Adoption Registry or Registry Defined
§48-23-209. Putative Father Defined
§48-23-401. Persons to Whom Use of the Mutual Consent Voluntary Adoption Registry Is Available
§48-23-402. Age Limitations on Use of the Mutual Consent Voluntary Adoption Registry
§48-23-403. Registration by a Birth Father
§48-23-404. Registration by a Birth Parent Who Used an Alias in Terminating Parental Rights
§48-23-501. Prerequisites to Disclosure of Identifying Information
§48-23-502. Counseling of Registrants
§48-23-503. Cases Where Disclosure of Identifying Information Cannot Occur
§48-23-504. Matching and Disclosure Procedures
§48-23-505. Retention of Data by the Registry
§48-23-506. Scope of Information Obtained by the Mutual Consent Voluntary Adoption Registry
§48-23-507. Fees for Operations of the Mutual Consent Voluntary Adoption Registry