Section 19-8-20. Forwarding of decree, report, and subsequent orders to department; issuance of adoption certificate; use as evidence

   (a) Upon the entry of the decree of adoption, the clerk of the court granting the same shall forward a copy of the decree, together with the original of the investigation report and background information filed with the court, to the department. If there is any subsequent order or revocation of the adoption a copy of same in like manner shall be forwarded by the clerk to the department.

(b) At any time after the entry of the decree of adoption, upon the request of an adopted person who has reached 18 years of age or upon the request of any adopting parent, the clerk of the court granting the decree shall issue to that requesting adopted person or adopting parent a certificate of adoption, under the seal of the court, upon payment to the clerk of the fee prescribed in paragraph (4) of subsection (g) of Code Section 15-6-77, which adoption certificate shall be received as evidence in any court or proceeding as primary evidence of the facts contained in the certificate.

(c) The adoption certificate shall be in substantially the following form:
      This is to certify that                (names of each adopting parent) have 
   obtained a decree of adoption for                (full name of adopted child) in 
   the Superior Court of                County, Georgia, on the          day of     , as 
   shown by the court's records.
      Given under the hand and seal of said court, this the          day of     , 
           .
                                                                                  
                                                                     Clerk     

Code 1981, § 19-8-20, enacted by Ga. L. 1990, p. 1572, § 5; Ga. L. 1991, p. 1324, § 4; Ga. L. 1991, p. 1640, § 8.