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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!