I Am an Adoptee or I am a Sibling of an Adoptee, How Can I Petition the Court For a Confidential Intermediary to Locate My Sibling?

 

If you know you have a sibling and wish to seek contact with them, you must first submit a Waiver of Rights to Confidentiality for Siblings form (AD 904A or AD 904B) to the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) or the licensed California adoption agency that handled the adoption.

Through the Mutual Consent Program, adoptees and siblings may submit a Waiver of Rights to Confidentiality for Siblings form.  Please see below to determine which form you should complete.

  • For Adoptees or Siblings 18 Years of Age or Older:  If the CDSS or the licensed California adoption agency receives a Waiver of Rights to Confidentiality for Siblings (AD 904A) form from the adult adoptee and one from their sibling, names and addresses can be disclosed to both parties so they may contact one another.  The law prohibits the CDSS and licensed California adoption agencies from soliciting waivers.

  • For Adoptees or Siblings Under 18 Years of Age:  If the CDSS or the licensed California adoption agency receives a Waiver of Rights to Confidentiality for Siblings - Under the Age of 18 (AD 904B) form from the adoptee and one from their sibling, names, addresses, and phone numbers can be disclosed to both parties so they may contact one another.  The adoptive parent, birth parent, legal parents, or guardian must also sign the waiver form.  The law prohibits the CDSS and licensed California adoption agencies from soliciting waivers.

If your sibling has not submitted a waiver form to the CDSS or the licensed California adoption agency, you may petition the county superior court where the adoption was finalized, under California Family Code 9205, to request that a confidential intermediary be appointed.  The confidential intermediary will attempt to contact your sibling and ask if they would be interested in completing a waiver form.

Please contact the clerk's office of the county superior court where the adoption was finalized on how to petition the court.  Use the link below to find the appropriate superior court’s contact information.