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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>70945</law_id><section_number>63.2-1245</section_number><catch_line>Separate order book, file and index of adoption cases; to whom available; permanent retention</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>20-160</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="63.2">Welfare (Social Services)</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Social Services Programs</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="12">Adoption</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="6">Records</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Each <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> clerk shall establish and maintain a separate and exclusive <span class="dictionary">order</span> book, file and index of adoption cases, none of which shall be exposed to public view but which shall be made available by such clerk to attorneys of record, social service officials, <span class="dictionary">court</span> officials, and to such other persons as the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall direct in specific cases by <span class="dictionary">order</span> of the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> entered in accordance with &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Disposition of reports; disclosure of information as to identity of birth family" href="/63.2-1246/">63.2-1246</a>.
		Such records shall be retained permanently in original form or on microfilm or converted to an electronic format in accordance with &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Disposition of papers in ended cases" href="/17.1-213/">17.1-213</a>. Such microfilm and microphotographic process and equipment shall meet state archival standards pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Duties and powers of Library Board" href="/42.1-82/">42.1-82</a>; such electronic format shall follow state electronic records guidelines; and such records shall be available for examination to those persons listed in this section. The clerk shall further provide security negative copies of any such microfilmed <span class="dictionary">materials</span> for storage in The Library of Virginia.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 63-359.1; 1952, c. 420; 1968, cc. 35, 578, &#xA7; 63.1-235; 1981, cc. 435, 637; 1994, c. 64; 2000, c. 830, &#xA7; 63.1-219.52; 2002, c. 747; 2013, c. 263.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
