Section 53-9-10. "Missing" defined; petition for conservator

   (a) For purposes of this article, an individual is deemed to be missing if:

   (1) That individual is missing from the usual place of domicile and that individual's whereabouts are unknown to those persons who are likely to know;

   (2) That individual was serving with the armed forces of the United States during any period in which a state of hostilities existed between the United States and any nation or power and the individual has been listed as missing in action, as interned in a neutral country, or as having been captured by the enemy; or

   (3) That individual, whose whereabouts may or may not be known, has been kidnapped or is being held hostage or otherwise detained and is thus unable to exercise control over the management of that individual's estate.

(b) When a domiciliary of this state has been missing for a period of 60 days or more, or for a shorter period of time but in emergency circumstances that dictate the need for the immediate conservation of the domiciliary's estate, any person having an interest in the estate of the missing individual by reason of being an individual who would be an heir of the missing individual if the missing individual were dead, a creditor of the missing individual, or a person having legal custody of minors or incompetents who would be heirs of the missing individual may petition the probate court of the county in which the missing individual was domiciled for the appointment of a conservator of the estate of the missing individual.

Code 1981, § 53-9-10, enacted by Ga. L. 1996, p. 504, § 10.