How does a person obtain a death certficate for a person who has been missing for more than 20 years?

Question

I live in the state of Pennsylvania.

I live in the state of Pennsylvania and the
missing person is my father

Answer 1

If you want him/her persumed dead you need to go where to the district court where you think he died or in the last county he last resided.
Include the name of the missing person
The circumstances leading to his dissappearence
Prove that you've searched for him dilligently and he still can't be found.
Then if the courts believe you then they'll get a jury. The jury will decide and then you'll have your death certificate.

Answer 2

If he just walked out and never returned, that's one thing. But, if there was suspected foul play, that's yet another.

Contact your Department of Vital Records and ask. If they cannot provide you with any information or directions on how to go about this, go seek the advice of an attorney. There is a procedure involved that may involve putting up a notice in the newspapers and also doing a cursory search (it's so much easier now with computers) in the different states' department of vital records' files, and a search for his social security and other information (Social Security Administration, DMV databases, prisons, etc). A person can usually be declared dead after 7 years missing but I am not sure if this rule applies in every State of the land.

Do not wait any longer. This should've been done a least a decade ago. Good luck.

Answer 3

Contact the courts in Pennsylvania or your local police department and ask them where to go from there (if the person was missing in Pennsylvania) or contact the correct state. Everything is registered in the courts through county court houses. It's a matter of taking the time on the phone to get linked to the right department to help you. Let them know the situation. Best of luck.

Answer 4

If the incident (missing person) was reported to the police, secure a copy of the police blotter, file an appropriate petition in court and obtain a resolution that he was presumed dead. In civil law, if a person doesn't have a contact for 7 consecutive years or more, he can be assumed and declared dead by a court after publishing the petiton (within the prescribed period set by court) on a news paper of wide and general circulation.

Answer 5

Information Required
Full name of decedent
Date of death (Please click here for required fee if date of death is unknown.)
City and county of death
Social Security number, if known
Funeral director, if known
Father's name and mother's maiden name, if known
Relationship to the decedent
Reason for the request
Applicant's signature
Applicant's daytime telephone number, including area code
Applicant's mailing address
Please click here if you are missing any of the above information

I would call a free legal help line in your area to find out quickly what you must do.

Answer 6

Sweetie, there is a big difference between missing and dead. You can't declare someone dead without a coroner seeing the body. No body = no death certificate.

Answer 7

You have to prove the person is dead and then go to the county coroners office and get a certificate of death.

Answer 8

Are they just missing or are they dead? If they are dead contact the county where they died to get a copy of the death certificate.

Answer 9

i am just guessing but, I would immagine you get a lawyer and have them declared legally dead and get them to issue a death certificate. But there has to be every effort to locate this person.

Answer 10

You have to go to a judge and have them declared legally dead. HOWEVER - this only works if you have exhausted all efforts in trying to find him, such as private detectives, etc.