I suspect the legal requirements regarding publication of notice of hearing regarding adoption varies among the states. Our family had an experience similar to yours. Because of the state’s privacy mandate re: minor children, absolutely nothing was allowed to be public. Only the biological father was deemed to have a right to knowledge and notification. That notification was done by certified letter from the Court - a 30-days notice of hearing. He was required to appear in person, to testify to the judge’s satisfaction that he believed the adoption was in the childrens’ best interest.
When the adoption was accomplished, three new birth certificates were generated by Court Order: one to be filed in the hearing file, and one to each of the local vital statistics records offices of the birth locations - the equivalent of the Hawaii Dept. of Health. As I recall, those local records offices were instructed by court order to destroy the ORIGINAL birth certificates, because legally, the new certificates literally became the ‘originals’. All of that to protect the privacy of the minor children. In the eyes of the law, the actual biological father did not, and never had existed in relation to the children. The adoptive father was not considered ‘adoptive’; he was considered THE actual biological father. This took place in New York State, in 1964.
Something that may be key in this scenario as a possibility regarding Barry/BHO,Sr/Stanley Ann in Nov-Dec 1971 Hawaii.
In that New York state procedure, the natural mother ‘procedurally’, became the adoptive parent of her own biological children, and had to consent to that fact. Strange. I don’t know why - PERHAPS going back to a wife being ‘chattel’ laws/mentality?
So - if Barry had been adopted by Soetoro in Indonesia [and all available evidence indicates he was] it’s possible that procedure would/might/could have been nullified before he was shipped back to Hawaii in 1971. It’s also possible an Indonesian adoption might not have been recognized by Hawaii; it’s also possible Hawaii never even knew of it] With New York State procedures as a possible guide to the scenario - my speculation would be that for whatever multitude of reasons, Stanley Ann decided to give him up - to send him to Hawaii for her parents to raise. That Gramps and Toot would have to become, at the least, his legal guardians [because they would need to be making decisions on his behalf - think, permission for any medical treatment, school attendance, field trips, etc]. Perhaps they actually adopted him, though the continued use of the name “Obama” would indicate not. Whatever, it’s clear that in Nov-Dec 1971, BHO Sr was a turd in the family’s punch bowl.
Even if it was just assigning legal guardianship to the grandparents, both of the parents would have to appear IN PERSON for the required hearing. NOTHING in the legal world is accomplished without a hearing. Considering BHO Sr’s touch-and-go financial situation, it’s logical to figure the grandparents paid for his trip and all it entailed - apt. rent, living expenses for the 2 months, etc.
I’ve no idea whether notices of hearings regarding guardianship appointments in over minor children were required by the state of Hawaii to be published. If it was required, there would be microfiche records at those local newspapers’ offices.
Have you ever thought about what a flow chart of all this info/unknowns/possible scenarios on Barry’s life would look like? If mounted, it would spread over acres of wall space - and would take teams of researchers to filter through and piece together. It amazes me how many of you dedicated FReepers seem able to keep it all right there at the junction of their brains and their fingertips on the keyboard. Me? I’ve got stacks of papers everywhere - and I mean EVERYWHERE - with color-coded little post-its helping me keep track of what’s what, and where. Do get intrigued by a fascinating mystery!
There is zero evidence he was legally adopted by Soetoro. What probably happened was that he was living as soetoros son while his mom was married to him. To go to the Indonesian school, he had to go as soetoro’s son and use his last name. My son for a while used his stepfather’s name. I think both bill Clinton and newt Gingrich did the same (and maybe eventually changed their name legally — something Obama obviously didn’t do).
However, I do not doubt he had / has an Indonesian passport. It may have been his first. He may have first traveled there on his mothers pass.
Here is one of the better well organized timelines of the 1967-1971 period.
http://www.wnd.com/2010/08/187825/
http://consider-freedom.blogspot.com/2010/08/obama-citizenship-issue.html
The whole Lolo Soetoro / Indonesia period seems a mess.
Lolo Soetoro received his degree in 1964. What did he do until March of 1965?
Why is the marriage usually characterized as having occurred in 1967 when in happened in 1965?
Why was Obama removed from SAD’s passport in 1968? After that - what passport did he use?
Why are what almost appear to be parallel Barry’s in Indonesia and in Hawaii in 1969 through 1971? The 3rd grade 1969 picture. The article that references Obama II meeting Frank Marshall Davis in 1970. The references to starting school in Hawaii in 1971 before he supposedly came over in October. This parallel existence has never been explained.
Then there is the ‘grand meeting’ in December 1971/January 1972. And at the end Barry is with the Dunhams with no other guardians or parents within 3,000 miles for an indefinite period.
After that there is the Connecticut SS number. Issued sometime in March of 1977. This is when Obama would be only 15.
He does apparently go to Oxy on a full scholarship. From where or did the scholarship come from? What scholarship? This is reported by the LA Times.
http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jan/29/local/me-oxy29
“...the 1,825-student liberal arts college in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles isn’t shy about claiming him as an alumnus for his two years there (1979-81) on full scholarship. Perhaps, some think, it’s where his political and oratory skills were nurtured.”
“...on full scholarship...”
Another odd thing. It is indicated that SAD and Obama II came to Hawaii in 1971 on Pan Am flight 812. A quick internet search reveals that is a famous (or rather infamous) flight number.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pan-Am-Flight-812/113911498658778
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_Am_Flight_812
In 1974 the flight was in Indonesia. But going from Japan to Australia with a stop scheduled in Indonesia. But tragedy struck the flight then. Maybe Pan Am changed the flight numbers between 1971 and 1974. But its an odd coincidence. Or maybe the route was from Indonesia to Australia then to Hawaii. This would explain the 2 days of travel since the international date line comes into play.
The grand meeting of December 1971 is likely a wormhole for the birth/identity records. No way do the grandparents take Obama II without solid guardianship and citizenship defined with both parents out of the picture. And namesake dads visit was not just a meet and greet.
I also always found this report odd. The governor supposedly sealing the records. Since when do governors seal records? What gives them legal authority to do so? Judges seal records. And judges may have sealed Obama’s records in 1971. Lingle may have meant to say they are sealed. But she lacks the authority to do it.
http://www.wnd.com/2008/10/79174/
http://theobamafile.com/_eligibility/LingleLies.htm
http://24ahead.com/lingle-obama-hawaii