Section 19-8-20 - Forwarding of decree, report, and subsequent orders to department; issuance of adoption certificate; use as evidence(a) Upon the entry of the decree of adoption, the clerk of the court granting the same shall forward a copy of the decree, together with the original of the investigation report and background information filed with the court, to the department. If there is any subsequent order or revocation of the adoption, a copy of same in like manner shall be forwarded by the clerk to the department.(b) At any time after the entry of the decree of adoption, upon the request of an adopted individual who has reached 18 years of age or upon the request of any adopting parent, the clerk of the court granting the decree shall issue to that requesting adopted individual or adopting parent a certificate of adoption, under the seal of the court, upon payment to the clerk of the fee prescribed in paragraph (4) of subsection (g) of Code Section 15-6-77, which adoption certificate shall be received as evidence in any court or proceeding as primary evidence of the facts contained in the certificate.(c) The adoption certificate shall conform substantially to the following form: "This is to certify that __________________ (names of each adopting parent) have obtained a decree of adoption for __________________ (full name of adoptee and date of birth of adoptee) in the Superior Court of __________________ County, Georgia, on the __________________ day of __________________, as shown by the court's records __________________ (adoption file number).Given under the hand and seal of said court, this the __________________ day of __________________, __________________. __________________ Clerk "
Amended by 2020 Ga. Laws 521,§ 19, eff. 7/29/2020.Amended by 2018 Ga. Laws 285,§ 1-1, eff. 9/1/2018.