Indiana § 31-19-24-1 - Petitions; contents

§ 31-19-24-1. Petitions; contents

Sec. 1. (a) Any interested person may file a petition with any court with probate jurisdiction in Indiana requesting the release of:

(1) medical information;

(2) nonidentifying information; or

(3) identifying information;

that is not available through the state registrar or not allowed to be released by the state registrar.

(b) The contents of a petition must include to the best knowledge of the petitioner the following:

(1) The full name and current address of the petitioner.

(2) The adopted person's:

(A) full name;

(B) sex;

(C) date of birth;

(D) place of birth, if known; and

(E) current address, if known.

(3) The county of the adoption proceeding, if known.

(4) The name and address of the agency that placed the adopted person, if known.

(5) The full name and current address of the petitioners for adoption, if any.

(6) The date of the adoption proceeding, if known.

(7) The full name and current address of the birth parents, if known.

(8) The nature of the:

(A) medical;

(B) identifying; or

(C) nonidentifying;

information being sought.

(9) An affirmation:

(A) by an attending physician, if medical information is sought, that indicates:

(i) the nature of the illness;

(ii) that the illness is believed to be hereditary or congenital; or

(iii) why the information to be sought or shared is necessary for diagnosis or treatment of any person;

(B) by the petitioner, if medical, identifying, or nonidentifying information is sought, that sets forth the reasons why the release of the information may be beneficial to the welfare of the adoptee, a birth parent, a relative of an adoptee, or a relative of a birth parent; and

(C) that the medical, identifying, or nonidentifying information sought:

(i) is not available through the state registrar; or

(ii) is not allowed to be released by the state registrar.

(10) A statement by the petitioner that the petitioner agrees to the payment of:

(A) a reasonable fee for the services of a confidential intermediary if a confidential intermediary is appointed under section 2 of this chapter; and

(B) reasonable fees and any actual expenses of an attorney, a child placing agency, or a professional health care provider (as defined in IC 34-6-2.1-165) that is requested to search its records and release information under sections 2 through 11 of this chapter.

(11) A description of the medical, identifying, or nonidentifying information being sought.

[Pre-1997 Recodification Citation: 31-3-4-21.]

As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11. Amended by P.L.196-1997, SEC.12; P.L.1-1998, SEC.163; P.L.191-2011, SEC.38; P.L.97-2013, SEC.2; P.L.186-2025, SEC.156.