Most adoptees in California do not have access to something very basic, their original birth certificate. This is because the state has sealed those birth certificates, causing adoptees to spend ...

Due to the interpretation of a 37 year-old law, his name is Nicolas Agustin on his California birth certificate. The use of diacritical marks — like tildes and accents — are not allowed on ...

Because of state rules, the accent marks in Nicolás’ name were omitted on his birth certificate ... according to the California Department of Health’s Office of Vital Records handbook.” ...

California Gov. Pete Wilson ... Nicolás Agustín Espinoza Chaires, a birth certificate with the proper accent marks but were surprised to learn that it was prohibited. “Initially, we thought ...