Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 77.djvu/553

 77 STAT. ]

PUBLIC LAW 88-241-DEC. 23, 1963

521

§ 14-502. Records of deeds, instruments, and wills Under the hand of the keeper of a record and the seal of the court or office in which the record was made: (1) a copy of the- record of a deed, or other written instrument not of a testamentary character, where the laws of the State, territory, commonwealth, possession or country where it was recorded require such a record, and that has been recorded agreeably to those laws; and (2) a copy of a will that the laws require to be admitted to probate and record by judicial decree, and of the decree of the court admitting the will to probate and record— are good and sufficient prima facie evidence to prove the existence and contents of the deed, will, or other written instrument, and that It was executed as it purports to have been executed. § 14-503. Record of will as prima facie evidence of contents and execution A record of a will or codicil recorded in the office of the Register of Wills of the District of Columbia, that has been admitted to probate by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, or by the former orphans' court of the District, or a record of the transcript of the record and probate of a will or codicil elsewhere, or of a certified cop>y thereof filed in the office of the Register of Wills, is prima facie evidence of the contents and due execution of the will or codicil. § 14-504. Force in District of Columbia of wills probated elsewhere A record in the office of the Register of Wills for the District of Columbia of a duly certified copy, or transcript of the record of proceedings, admitting a will or codicil to probate outside of the District of Columbia; and a record in that office of a will or codicil admitted to probate in the District before June 8, 1898, and not annulled or declared void according to law prior to June 8, 1898, shall be deemed and held as of the same force and effect as if the will or codicil had been duly proved and admitted to probate and record pursuant to sections 19-301 to 19-303.

§ 14-505. Municipal ordinances and regulations Municipal ordinances and regulations in force in the District of Columbia may be proved by producing in evidence a copy thereof certified by the secretary or an assistant secretary of the feoard of Commissioners; and the certified copy is prima facie evidence of the due adoption and promulgation of the ordinances and regulations. § 14-506. Certified mail return receipts as prima facie evidence of delivery Return receipts for the delivery of certified mail which is utilized under any provision of law shall be received in the courts as prima facie evidence of delivery to the same extent as return receipts for registered mail. § 14-507. Other methods of proof This chapter does not prevent the proof of records or other documents by any method autnorized by other laws or rules of court.

CHAPTER 7—ABSENCE FOR SEVEN YEARS See. 14-701. Presumption of death. 14-702. Person presumed dead found living.

31 Stat. 1212; 63 Stat. 267.

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