Should adult adoptees be given free access to their birth records? Perhaps one of the most controversial issues in the adoption debate is access to birth records. What are the disadvantages and advantages of allowing this information to be provided to adoptees? To understand the issue it is important to understand the history of adoption laws in the United States and consider both sides of the issue. In this report, I will attempt to explain the history and principles behind adoption laws, examine the causes and effects of closed adoptions, and compare the impact of open and closed adoptions on all parties. The word adoption is an adjective with Latin roots. The Miriam-Webster dictionary provides several definitions for the word "adopt," all of which imply accepting a person, thing, or idea as one's own. Used in the context of politics and everyday life, it could also mean the acceptance of certain situations, usually related to law or politics. The term "adopt a policy," for example, means to willingly accept a certain way of doing things. Sometimes it also means taking something that belongs to another and revising it to adapt it to your needs. The meaning of the word adoption can also concern family bonds and relationships. Defines the act of welcoming a child who is not related to his or her parents into one's family and giving him or her the legal right to bear the adoptive parents' surname. The adopted child is therefore granted the same rights as consanguineous children according to the laws regulating family rights. In the eyes of the law there is no difference between an adopted child and a natural child because the adoptive parents have legally agreed to process the documents involved. Unfortunately, legislation has not kept pace with modern attitudes, leaving millions of people without access to their roots. Whether or not contact ever occurred or what the intentions are, everyone has the right to know where they come from and what their roots are. Currently, many states offer state intermediary services; when there is mutual consent between the adult adoptee and the families of origin, the state intermediary will help facilitate reunification. Intermediary services are offered on a voluntary basis, all parties must be registered with the state to receive help. However, many parties are not aware of such services, so the success rate is minimal. As with all choices there are both positive and negative outcomes. It is hoped that everyone involved in the adoption process will consider and make the best choice for the child involved.