Section 44-9-41. Contents of petition; manner of service and advertisement; fees

   The petition shall describe the easement of private way sought to be condemned over the lands of another and shall state the distance and direction of the private way and the nature of any improvements through which the private way will go. There shall be attached to the petition or incorporated therein a plat showing the measurements and location of the private way. The petition shall state the names and addresses of all persons owning an interest in the property, if known, and shall be served in the following manner:

   (1) Where the owner or owners of the property over which the private way is sought are known and reside in the county in which the land is located, the sheriff of the county shall serve each of the persons with a copy of the petition and any orders of the court thereon; and the sheriff shall make a return of the service;

   (2) Where the owners of the property are known but reside in another county of this state, they may be served (A) either by the sheriff of the county in which the property is located or by the sheriff of the county of the residence of the owner or owners, such sheriff to make a return of the service, or (B) by the person or corporation seeking to condemn the private way or an agent thereof, in which event the return of service duly filed as a part of the record shall be prima-facie evidence as to the service so made and if not traversed shall be conclusive as to the service;

   (3) Where the owner or owners of the property are known but reside outside of this state, the petition shall set forth the addresses of such nonresident owners, in which event it shall be the duty of the clerk of the superior court to cause a true and correct copy of the petition to be served upon the nonresident owner or owners. The clerk shall make and enter upon the original petition or attach thereto his certificate which certifies that he has served the owner or owners by mailing a copy of the petition by certified mail or statutory overnight delivery to the address given in the petition; and the clerk shall be allowed a fee of $2.00 for each entry of service to be taxed against the costs in the case;

   (4) In the event any of the owners are minors or persons non compos mentis, the petition shall so state, in which case the petition shall be served on each minor defendant and each non compos mentis defendant in the same manner as provided by paragraph (3) of subsection (e) of Code Section 9-11-4; and

   (5) In all cases, the matter shall be advertised once a week for four consecutive weeks in the county newspaper which carries the sheriff's advertisements. The advertisement shall describe the easement to be condemned as set forth in the petition and the owner or owners of the property so far as the same are known. Where this Code section has been complied with so far as possible, the advertisement shall be final and conclusive service upon all persons who are unknown or upon persons who are known but whose addresses and places of residence are unknown; and, in such event, the certificate of the sheriff of the county in which the land is located that such persons do not reside within said county, that he has made diligent inquiry as to their addresses, and that the same are unknown, which certificate is duly filed with the clerk, shall be prima-facie evidence of the fact so certified and unless traversed by a party at interest shall be conclusive. For each certificate the sheriff shall charge the same fee as is provided by law for the service of the petition upon residents of the county.

Orig. Code 1863, § 694; Code 1868, § 756; Code 1873, § 722; Code 1882, § 722; Civil Code 1895, § 663; Civil Code 1910, § 809; Code 1933, § 83-103; Code 1933, § 83-102, enacted by Ga. L. 1967, p. 143, § 2; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1225, § 6; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1589, § 3.