Speaker Profile-Michael S. Ramage, J.D., CG

Michael S. Ramage, J.D., CG*

Michael is a full-time forensic genealogist, attorney, author, and lecturer specializing in probate and adoption research. He has been a principal speaker at all of the Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogists’ Forensic Genealogy Institutes.

Friday, 2:30 p.m., F342—“Forensic Genealogy Meets the Genealogical Proof Standard”
Learn how a $22 million estate case involving same name/age/place ancestors was solved using the Genealogical Proof Standard. In the process of establishing the next of kin for hundreds of estates and deceased real property owners, I have by necessity developed a number of effective techniques to assist in sorting and analyzing conflicting genealogical data that result in reasoned conclusions.  Here, I will tell my biggest “war story” and the lessons I learned from it.

Saturday, 11:00 a.m., S426—“Adoption Research & Real Life Case Study”
Learn about adoption laws and methods that may enable you to uncover hidden adoptions with a real life case study.

As my family has two known cases of unknown-parentage in my direct line of ancestors, I have a special interest and passion for this field of genealogy. This presentation will bring you the needed technical/legal adoption background as well as the tale of my discovery of the secrets of a close-family member’s adoption. Yes, genetic genealogy helped solve the family mystery but the real life stories are a much more interesting way to present the lessons. I look forward to sharing this life-changing narrative with you.


 *CG or Certified Genealogist is a service mark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, used under license by Board-certified genealogists after periodic competency evaluation, and the board name is registered in the US Patent & Trademark Office.

Speaker Profile-Michael S. Ramage, J.D., CG