Section 7-1-193. Proof of claims of depositors

   (a) Any depositor who disagrees with the amount shown by the books or other records of the financial institution to be due to him shall prove his claim by presenting his bank statement or passbook or other documentary indication of indebtedness to the department within the time and in the manner designated by the department pursuant to this chapter. Any such depositor who shall not have received or shall have lost his bank statement or passbook or other documentary evidence or who shall believe that the amount shown to be due him by such bank statement or passbook or other documentary evidence is incorrect shall, within the time designated by the department, present his claim to the department by whatever method, including affidavits, the department shall designate.

(b) Any depositor who shall not present his claim within the designated time and in the manner provided by this Code section shall be bound by the amount appearing to be due to him upon the books or records of the financial institution or, where the name of such depositor does not appear at all upon the books or records of the financial institution or appears on such books or records but with no balance appearing to be due to him by the financial institution, shall be permanently barred from sharing in any distribution of the assets of the financial institution. However, the principal court may, upon petition and adequate cause shown, permit any depositor to file his claim at a later date, but no claim shall in any event be allowed to be filed after the last day for the filing of exceptions to the first account of the department.

(c) This Code section shall not, however, be construed to deprive any depositor of any right of action at law or in equity which he may have against an officer or employee or former officer or employee of the financial institution or upon the bond of such officer or employee or former officer or employee for any act committed by such officer or employee which resulted in such depositor's name not appearing upon the books of the financial institution or appearing upon them but being credited with an amount below that actually due.

(d) The department shall prescribe the form for the proof of claim of all depositors and for an affidavit as to the truth of statements therein to be included with the claim. Whenever requested by any such depositor to prepare such proof of claim or to take the affidavit thereto, the department may do so without any charge to such depositor if the department concludes that it would be burdensome or difficult for the depositor to prepare the proof.

Ga. L. 1919, p. 135, art. 7, § 18; Ga. L. 1925, p. 119, § 1; Code 1933, § 13-820; Code 1933, § 41A-804, enacted by Ga. L. 1974, p. 705, § 1.