Title 45

Upon the completion of the medical examiner’s inquiry by the medical examiner, as provided in Code Section 45-16-24, and after verification by the division when such verification is required, the coroner shall then make an inquest into the death of such deceased person as provide…

(a) The coroner shall issue subpoenas to or otherwise compel the attendance of witnesses; and he shall administer to such witnesses the following oath: ‘‘The evidence that you shall give this inquest on behalf of the state concerning the death of (or a person unknown, as the case…

If the inquest discloses facts which lead or may lead to the prosecution of any person for the homicide of the person for whom the inquest is held, the coroner shall require all witnesses who testify to facts material to the issues involved in such prosecution to enter into a rec…

The coroner shall summon and impanel five jurors and one alternate juror to hold an inquest, which jurors shall decide the verdict by a majority vote. The first grand jury impaneled at the fall term of the superior courts of the several counties shall fix the compensation of said…

No coroner’s jury shall be impaneled until the investigation is completed and copies of the reports of the medical examiner and the peace officer in charge are received by the coroner. The jury is not required to view the body. (Ga. L. 1960, p. 1009, § 9; Ga. L. 1990, p. 1735, § …

Whenever a coroner receives notice of the death of any person within the limits of the county of which he is coroner, which death occurred under circumstances which make it his duty, under the law, to hold an inquest, he shall make out a precept directed to the sheriff or any con…

(a) The following oath shall be administered to the foreman of the jury by the coroner: ‘‘You, as foreman of the inquest, shall diligently inquire and true presentment make, on behalf of the State of Georgia, how and in what manner (or a person deceased, unknown, as the case may …

(a) The coroner shall charge the jurors to declare, and they shall so declare, whether the person for whom the inquest is held died by: (1) Homicide; (2) Suicide; (3) Accident; (4) Natural causes; or (5) Undetermined causes and all of the circumstances relating to the death. (b) …

Any juror failing to attend and serve on a coroner’s inquest after being duly summoned may be fined by the coroner in a sum not exceeding $100.00 to be levied and collected by execution issued by the coroner unless such defaulting juror shall file in the office of the judge of th…

In all inquests the results of the medical examiner’s inquiry performed shall be offered in evidence either by oral testimony of the medical examiner or by introduction of a copy of the report filed with the director of the division, as verified in the cases requiring verificatio…

After the medical examiner’s inquiry and inquest have been completed, the dead body shall be delivered to the person legally entitled thereto for burial. If no person claims the body, it shall be turned over to the coroner of the county where death occurred for disposition as pro…

In order to implement this article, coroners are authorized to disinter any body already buried and, like a sheriff, to command the power of the county for that purpose. Medical examiners, other than local medical examiners, may likewise exercise such authority in any case wherei…

When any person has been admitted to a hospital or morgue as a result of any casualty and for any reason whatsoever is unable to give his or her consent to the taking of a sample of blood for analytical purposes, the coroner or peace officer in charge of the investigation of the …

Except as provided in Code Section 45-16-30, any person who violates this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. (Ga. L. 1960, p. 1009, § 9; Ga. L. 1990, p. 1735, § 3.)

A coroner may be authorized to employ, at his discretion, a court reporter who is certified under Article 2 of Chapter 14 of Title 15, ‘‘The Georgia Court Reporting Act,’’ to record the proceedings of any inquest. The cost of acquiring the services of a certified court reporter s…

The fees heretofore authorized to be paid in cases arising under this article prior to May 1, 1997, shall continue to be paid at the rate specified therein until such time as the Board of Public Safety promulgates rules prescribing such fees as provided by paragraph (5) of Code S…

A medical examiner within the state of Georgia is authorized to provide to an approved canine instructor or school certain biological substances such as human blood or bodily fluids for the sole purpose of utilizing such substances for the training and handling of police canines …

This article shall be known as ‘‘The Georgia Coroner’s Training Council Act.’’ (Code 1981, § 45-16-60, enacted by Ga. L. 1985, p. 797, § 1.)

As used in this article, the term: (1) ‘‘Certified coroner’’ means a coroner who has the appropriate required certificate of training issued by the council on file with the Board of Public Safety. (2) ‘‘Coroner’’ means any person appointed or elected in a county to serve as coron…

(a) There is established a council which shall be known and designated as the ‘‘Georgia Coroner’s Training Council’’ which shall be composed of the superintendent of the Georgia Police Academy or his designee, which member shall not be a voting member; five coroners appointed by …

Immediately and before entering upon the duties of office, the members of the council shall take the oath of office and shall file the same with the Board of Public Safety, which, upon receiving the oath of office, shall issue to each member a certificate of appointment. (Code 19…

(a) The council at its initial meeting, which shall be held promptly after the appointment of its members, shall elect from among its members a chairman and a vice-chairman who shall serve until the first meeting in the succeeding year. Thereafter, the chairman and the vice-chair…

The council is vested with the following functions, powers, and responsibilities: (1) To make all the necessary rules and regulations to carry out this article; (2) To cooperate with and secure the cooperation of every department, agency, or instrumentality of the state governmen…

(a) In order to maintain the status of a certified coroner, each person certified as such shall complete such additional training per annum during each year in which he or she serves as coroner as provided by the Georgia Coroner’s Training Council in its rules and regulations, bu…

On its own initiative or on the verified complaint of any person that a person has performed or is performing the duties of coroner in violation of this article, the council may file an action seeking equitable relief in its own name in the superior court of any county in this st…

(a) In any county of this state the General Assembly by local law is authorized to abolish the office of coroner and establish in lieu thereof the office of medical examiner, which medical examiner shall have the qualifications, powers, and duties provided in this Code section, a…

As used in this article, the term: (1) ‘‘Attesting’’ and ‘‘attestation’’ are synonymous and mean the notarial act of witnessing or attesting a signature or execution of a deed or other written instrument, where such notarial act does not involve the taking of an acknowledgment, t…

It shall not be lawful for notaries public to issue attachments or garnishments, to approve bonds for the purpose of issuing attachments or garnishments, or to issue a summons in a dispossessory case; but a notary may attest an affidavit in an attachment, garnishment, or disposse…

(a) The fees of notaries public shall be as follows: (1) Administering an oath in any case ....................... $ 2.00 (2) Each attendance on any person to make proof as a notary public and certifying to same ................. 2.00 (3) Every other certificate .................…

(a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) ‘‘Bank’’ or ‘‘other corporation’’ means a bank or other corporation organized under the laws of this or any other state or the United States. (2) ‘‘Written instrument,’’ without limiting the generality of meaning of such words, mean…

(a) Every notary public shall notify in writing the appointing clerk of superior court and provide a copy of such notice to the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority of any change in the notary’s residence or business address, whichever was used for the purpose of …

Within ten days of the loss or theft of an official notarial seal, the notary public shall send to the appointing clerk of superior court, with a copy to the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority, a written notice of the loss or theft. (Code 1981, § 45-17-14, enact…

(a) The appointing clerk of superior court may by letter, with a copy to the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority, revoke the commission or deny the reappointment of any notary public who: (1) Violates any provision of this chapter; (2) Performs any notarial act i…

Within ten days after receiving notice from the appointing clerk of superior court that a notarial commission has been revoked, an individual shall send or deliver to the appointing clerk of superior court all papers of appointment. Such individual shall also destroy the official…

A person who wishes to resign a notarial commission shall send a signed letter of resignation to the appointing clerk of superior court, with a copy to the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority, and all papers of appointment. The resigning notary public shall destr…

A notary public whose commission expires and who does not apply for renewal of such commission or whose application for renewal of a commission is denied shall destroy the official notary seal. (Code 1981, § 45-17-18, enacted by Ga. L. 1984, p. 1105, § 1.)

(a) The authenticity of the official signature and term of office of a notary public may be evidenced by: (1) A certificate of authority from the appointing clerk of superior court or the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority; or (2) An apostille in the exact form …

(a) Any individual applying for appointment to be a notary public shall: (1) Be at least 18 years old; (2) Be a United States citizen or be a legal resident of the United States; (3) Be a legal resident of the county from which such individual is appointed; (4) Have, and provide …

(a)(1) Any individual desiring to be a notary public shall submit application to the clerk of superior court of the county in which the individual resides or, when applying under the provisions of Code Section 45-17-7, to the clerk of superior court of the county in which the ind…

The information in the application for appointment and commissioning as a notary public shall be a matter of public record. (Code 1981, § 45-17-2.2, enacted by Ga. L. 1984, p. 1105, § 1; Ga. L. 1985, p. 1469, § 4.)

(a) After an applicant submits to the clerk of superior court of the county the application, endorsements, and declaration of applicant as required in Code Section 45-17-2.1, the clerk of superior court shall either grant or deny a commission or recommission as a notary public wi…

(a) Any person who violates subsection (d) of Code Section 45-17-8 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. (b) Any person who performs any notarial service without complying with the provisions of this article shall, upon the first or second conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor and u…

Before entering on the duties of his office, each notary public shall take and subscribe before the clerk of the superior court the following oath, which shall be entered on his minutes: ‘‘I, , do solemnly swear or affirm that I will well and truly perform the duties of a notary …

Before a certificate shall be issued to a notary public, he or she shall pay to the clerk of the superior court the sum prescribed by Code Section 15-6-77, relating to fees of clerks of the superior courts, from which amount the clerk shall be entitled to cover his or her service…

(a) Each notary public shall hold office for four years, subject to revocation at any time by the clerk of the superior court, at the end of which time, on petition, his commission may be renewed by order of the clerk for a like term. Renewal of a notary public commission may be …

(a)(1) For the authentication of his notarial acts each notary public must provide a seal of office, which seal shall have for its impression his name, the words ‘‘Notary Public,’’ the name of the state, and the county of his residence; or it shall have for its impression his nam…