Adoption files locked forever?

What is the name of your state? AZ

I am 22 years old and have known I was adopted all my life. I searched for my parents when I turned 18, and amazingly enough, found them with very little trouble. (Internet really IS amazing ain't it?)
Before finding them I had tried to get information through the attorney who did the adoption. But he said that my files are closed and nobody can access them...even if I had my mother and fathers permission. Why would a file be closed to me, concerning me when all parties agree to open the file? Is this true and legal for the attorney to do?

So are your bioparents and YOUR parents communicating with you and answering your questions? ARe you being given answers to the questions that trouble you?

In most states, the law in effect at the time of your adoption required that the files be "sealed" once the adoption was final. My husband was adopted by his stepfather at age 14, was there in the court at the time of the adoption, and STILL was unable to access the adoption file - it certainly was no mystery to him and his mom was still alive AND still his legal mom and had no objections, either (his biodad was long ago deceased). The attorney is doing what is required by law.

Truthfully, having been there, the adoption file (unless there was an involuntary termination) likely contains very little that you can't get verbally from those involved. There is no medical history of the parents, no particulars about the birth, nothing about the bioparents family, other than a permisiion signature IF the law required one for a minor parent. OUr daughter's readoption file here in our county(although she was an international orphanage adoption) has a home study which is all about us, and not about the bioparents, that basically says that we are good parent material and has some letters of reference about us and criminal background checks. THe bioparents stuff is nothing more than written evidence that the relinguishment was voluntary. There is nothing that the bioparents themselves cannot tell you. And their personal reasons for making an adoption plan will not be contained in the adoption file.