Our father passed away in Puerto Rico and birth certificates are needed from all of his children in order to claim and distribute his estate. Our brother does not want to provide his certificate out of spite. Our lawyer in PR cannot obtain it because he was born in NYC. The NYC vital records website says it will only provide certificate to (1) the person named on it, (2) his parents, or (3)through order of a NY State court. Is there any other way of obtaining the certificate without having to sue him for it as our lawyer in Puerto Rico said we might end up doing if all else fails?

