Section 24-14-47. Proof that person is dead or missing as evidence

   (a) A written finding of presumed death made by officers or employees of the United States authorized to make such findings pursuant to any law of the United States or a duly certified copy of such finding shall be received in any court, office, or other place in this state as evidence of the death of the person therein found to be dead and the date, circumstances, and place of his or her disappearance.

(b) An official written report, record, or duly certified copy thereof that a person is missing, missing in action, interned in a neutral country, beleaguered, besieged, or captured by an enemy, dead or alive, made by an officer or employee of the United States authorized by any law of the United States to make the same shall be received in any court, office, or other place in this state as evidence that such person is missing, missing in action, interned in a neutral country, beleaguered, besieged, or captured by an enemy, dead or alive, as the case may be.

(c) For the purposes of subsections (a) and (b) of this Code section, any finding, report, record, or duly certified copy thereof purporting to have been signed by an officer or employee of the United States as is described in this Code section shall prima facie be deemed to have been signed and issued by such an officer or employee pursuant to law, and the person signing same shall prima facie be deemed to have acted within the scope of his or her authority.

Code 1981, § 24-14-47, enacted by Ga. L. 2011, p. 99, § 2/HB 24.