{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-199.572","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 199.572","heading":"Inspection of adoption records -- Limitations.","body":"(1) (a) At the time the biological parents give up the child for adoption, they shall be\nasked by the cabinet whether they consent to the inspection of the adoption\nrecords by an adult person described in subsection (3) of this section, to\npersonal contact by the child when he or she becomes an adult, or to both. If\nconsent is given at that time, it can later be revoked. If consent is withheld at\nthat time, the biological parents may give consent at any later time.\n(b) The initial written statement of consent or r efusal of consent to inspection of\nrecords or personal contact shall be filed with the Circuit Court not later than\nthe date of finalization of the adoption proceedings. When a written consent is\non file, the records shall be available to an adult person d escribed in\nsubsection (3) of this section, upon his or her request therefor in writing.\n(2) When any adult adopted person applies in person or in writing to the Circuit Court\nfor authorization to inspect all papers and records pertaining to the adoption\nproceedings of that adult adopted person as provided in KRS 199.570(1), the court\nshall, if satisfied as to the identity of the adult adopted person, authorize the adult\nadopted person to inspect the papers and records.\n(3) When any adult person who is the child, grandchild, or sibling of a deceased\nbiological parent who gave a child up for adoption under this chapter, or who is the\nchild, grandchild, or sibling of a deceased adoptee who was given up for adoption\nunder this chapter, applies in person or in w riting to the Circuit Court for\nauthorization to inspect all papers and records pertaining to the adoption\nproceedings of that deceased biological parent or deceased adoptee who was part of\nan adoption proceeding in accordance with KRS 199.570, the court may, if satisfied\nas to the identity of the adult person and that each biological parent who gave a\nchild up for the adoption listed in the petition is deceased or has given consent to\nthe inspection pursuant to this section, authorize the adult person to i nspect the\npapers and records.\n(4) (a) The Circuit Court shall, within seven (7) working days of the receipt of the\nrequest, direct the secretary of the cabinet to notify each biological parent\nidentified on the adult adopted person's original birth certif icate that the adult\nadopted person or other adult person described in subsection (3) of this\nsection has applied to the court for information identifying the biological\nparent. Within six (6) months of receiving the notice of the request, the\nsecretary of the cabinet shall make complete and reasonable efforts to notify\neach biological parent identified on the adult adopted person's original birth\ncertificate.\n(b) The secretary may charge a reasonable fee not to exceed two hundred fifty\ndollars ($250) for making this search. Every child -caring facility and child -\nplacing agency in the Commonwealth shall cooperate with the secretary in his\nor her efforts to notify these biological parents.\n(5) If the cabinet utilizes the services of another person or entity t o perform a search\nunder subsection (4) of this section, the cabinet shall enter into a formal contract\nwith that person or entity. A person or entity contracted to perform a search shall be\nlicensed under the provisions of KRS Chapter 329A.\n(6) The notifi cation of the biological parents shall not be by mail and shall be by\npersonal and confidential contact by the cabinet. The notification shall be done\nwithout disclosing the identity of the adult adopted person or other adult person\ndescribed in subsection  (3) of this section. The personal and confidential contact\nwith the biological parents shall be evidenced by filing with the Circuit Court an\naffidavit of notification executed by the person who notified each parent and\ncertifying each parent was given the following information:\n(a) The nature of the information requested;\n(b) The date of the request;\n(c) The right of the biological parent to file, within sixty (60) days of receipt of\nthe notice, an affidavit with the Circuit Court stating that an adult person\ndescribed in subsection (3) of this section shall be authorized to inspect all\npapers and records pertaining to the adoption proceedings;\n(d) The right of the biological parent to file at any time an affidavit authorizing an\nadult person described in subsection (3) of this section to inspect all papers\nand records pertaining to the adoption proceedings; and\n(e) The right of a biological parent to file an affidavit with the Circuit Court\nstating that all papers and records pertaining to the adoption proceedings shall\nnot be open for inspection by an adult person described in subsection (3) of\nthis section.\n(7) If after diligent and reasonable effort, the secretary of the cabinet certifies that both\nbiological parents identified in the original birth certificate are deceased or the\nsecretary is unable to locate said parents, then a judge of the Circuit Cou rt, upon\nmotion of an adult person described in subsection (3) of this section, may order that\nall papers and records of the cabinet and those of the Circuit Court pertaining to the\nadoption shall be open for inspection to that person.","path":["KRS Chapter 199"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=54822","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:51:54Z","sha256":"9a1eaa9310cf0d2ef37aae75b3dc1074453743aff092977a2e0cf65226e689d4","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-199.570","next":"us-ky/krs-199.575"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}