Barrick v. Johnson

WOLLMAN, Chief Justice.

Appellants, Marie and Carl Barrick, the adoptive parents of Carla Barrick, sued the *524Department of Health, Division of Public Health Statistics (Department) on Carla’s behalf to compel the Department to issue a state birth certificate based on adoption proceedings held in the Pine Ridge Tribal Court. The Department refused to issue the certificate because the adoption occurred in tribal court. The trial court entered a judgment dismissing appellants’ action. We reverse and remand.

Carla Barrick was born at Pine Ridge, South Dakota. The attending physician filed a birth…