Birth Certificate Information

Here is valuable information I received via email this morning from readers interested in the truth.  I hope it will put an end to some of the hysteria over Barack Obama's birth certificat

Dear Mrs. Cumbey,

 

Since you are a practicing attorney, I know you are interested in the legal fine points and accuracy.  In responding to your note on Barack Obama’s birth certificate, as a point of interest, I include the following, emphasis mine:

 

U.S. Birth Certificates and Certificates of Live Birth

Long forms

Long forms, also known as certified photocopies, book copies, and Photostat copies, are exact photocopies of the original birth record that was prepared by the hospital or attending physician at the time of the child's birth. The long form usually includes parents' information (address of residence, race, birth place, date of birth, etc.), additional information on the child's birthplace, and information on the doctors that assisted in the birth of the child. The long form also usually includes the signature of the doctor involved and at least one of the parents.

Long forms may become obsolete in years to come, as many states have begun to use Electronic Birth Registration systems. The use of these systems will enable information typically seen on certified copies (long forms) to be available in computer databases that typically issue short form certificates, thus eliminating the need for "hard copy" long form certificates and having all birth information stored in computer databases only. This benefits parents in many ways; registration can be completed via computer at the hospital, meaning that parents can stop by their Vital Statistics office on the way home from the hospital to purchase the birth certificate instantly. It also means that the extra cost for long form certificates will no longer be a factor.

Short forms

Short forms, known sometimes as computer certifications, are not universally available, but are cheaper than photocopies and much more easily accessible.Limited information is taken from the original birth record (the long form) and stored in a database that can be accessed quickly when birth certificates are needed in a short amount of time. Whereas the long form is a copy of the actual birth certificate, a short form is a document that certifies the existence of such certificate, and is usually titled a "Certification of Birth" or "Certificate of Live Birth". The short form typically includes the child's name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth, although some also include the names of the child's parents. When the certification does include the names of the parents, it can be used in lieu of a long form birth certificate in almost all circumstances. Nearly all states in the U.S. issue short forms certifications, on both state and local levels.

 

Edd

 "But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord." - Micah 7:7

Constance