Does access to original birth certificates violate the privacy of birth parents?
No. The laws of the state of New Jersey have never guaranteed a right of lifelong anonymity to birth parents. Neither the U.S. Constitution nor the N.J. statute defines privacy as a right of a parent to remain unknown to their offspring. (See N.J. Statutes 26:8-40 and 9:3-52) Four courts have upheld access legislation noting that birth parents right to privacy does not supersede the right of adopted adults to access their own private information. Further, adoptees access to birth records does not violate birth parents right to privacy. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit noted, the Constitution does not encompass a general right to nondisclosure of private information. The Tennessee Supreme Court concluded, that retrospective application of legislation allowing disclosure of adoption records to adopted personsdoes not impair the vested rights of birth parentsnor does it violate the right to privacy The Oregon Circuit Court and Court of Appeals stated,the Oregon legislaturedid
