Hawaii adoption reunion

Hawaii Adoption Reunion Resources

/ V.L. Brunskill / Leave a comment

In response to a reader’s question, I have compiled a list of Hawaiian adoption reunion resources.

The good news for adoptees who were born in Hawaii, is that you can request your adoption records.  According to HawaiianRoots.com, ” new adoption notification law allows adults to learn of their birth parent unless the parents have indicated to the court that they do not wish to be contacted. ”

HawaiianRoots.com suggests the following contacts for requesting information. I recommend that you give them a call to confirm, as this information could change.

Oahu by mail: Adoption RecordsFamily Court, First Circuit CourtP.O. Box 3498Honolulu, HI 96811-3498
Oahu in person: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mon-FriCourt Management Services BranchKaahumanu Hale, Second Floor777 Punchbowl StreetHonolulu, HI
Maui, Molokai, and Lanai: Adoption RecordsFamily Court, Second Circuit2145 Main Street, Suite 226Wailuku, Maui 96793
Big Island: Adoption RecordsFamily Court, Third Circuit345 Kekuanaoa Street, Room 40Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Kauai: Adoption RecordsFamily Court, Fifth Circuit3059 Umi StreetLihue, Kauai 96766

They also offer a clue for adult adoptees looking for natural parents: “Birth certificates are altered to reflect the names of the adopted parents but newspaper vital record listings will show the names of birth parents.”  This means that searching the local newspaper archives could help you find your birth name.

Below is  the applicable adoption records law:

Mutual Access to Identifying Information
Citation: Rev. Stat. § 578-15

An adoptee who is age 18 or older may submit a written request to the family court for inspection of adoption records. Such records will be released unless the birth parents have filed a confidentiality affidavit. Such affidavits may be renewed every 10 years. The adoptee may submit an affidavit person consenting to the inspection of records by the birth parents

The form to request your information is offered in PDF format at the link below. It also gives addresses for mailing.
http://www.state.hi.us/jud/Oahu/Family/1F-P-767request.pdf

TIP: For those searching in any state,  use the link below to search for adoption records and reunion laws by state.
http://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/laws_policies/state/index.cfm?event=stateStatutes.showSearchForm

In addition to formally requesting your records, Hawaiian adoptees should search and register for the reunion registries and forums below.

I cannot possibly find every resource out there, so if you know of other Hawaii resources, please comment on this post, or email me at vbrunskill@gmail.com.

Ke Akua(God) Ho’omaika’i(Bless) Oe(You)!
Vicki-lynn