---
title: O.C.G.A. § 17-21-4. Applicability; nonspecific cause of death on death certificate; insurance payments.
collection: code
id: 17-21-4
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 17-21-4 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-21-4
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-21-4.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-21-4/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t17-(v15)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=6c4dfdf8_0#page=176
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-21.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-21-3.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-22-1.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: CRIMINAL PROCEDURE / COLD CASE MURDER REINVESTIGATION
---

# O.C.G.A. § 17-21-4. Applicability; nonspecific cause of death on death certificate; insurance payments.

(a) This Code section shall apply in the case of any cold case murder occurring on or after January 1, 1970.

(b) This chapter shall authorize a coroner or medical examiner to issue a death certificate as provided by Code Section 45-16-24, with a nonspecific cause of death and manner of homicide if, at the sole discretion of the coroner or medical examiner, the release of such information would not hinder the homicide investigation.

(c) In a case where the cause of death is listed as nonspecific homicidal means or undetermined and subsequent investigative information is provided sufficient to determine a specific cause of death, the coroner or medical examiner shall have six months from the date of final disposition of the investigation to file an amended death certificate to include the official cause of death.

(d) Nothing in this Code section shall prevent the probate or administration of the estate of a homicide victim or the distribution of any death benefits to the beneficiaries due to the withholding of the cause of death of a homicide victim.

## History

Code 1981, § 17-21-4, enacted by Ga. L. 2023, p. 106, § 1/HB 88, effective July 1, 2023.

## Cross References

Death certificates, § 31-10-15.