Once you've gone missing for a certain amount of time, the court can declare you legally dead.  But what if you aren't actually dead and you later turn up?  Can the court declare you legally ... alive?  Well, for one Ohio man, the answer is 'no.'  As far as the legal system is concerned, even though he's alive, he's still dead.

Say what, now?

Donald Miller, Jr., is now 61, but for some time back in the 1980s, he went into hiding.  He was unemployed, owed child support and was an alcoholic.  Since no one could find him, the court declared him legally dead in 1994.

The Associated Press, however, reports that eight years ago, Miller turned back up. Now, he wants to be reinstated to the ranks of the legally living.  BUT, Ohio law only gives you three years to reverse a legal death.  He would have had to have turned up by 1997, or so.  Since he didn't, the court can't reinstate him.

That means, no driver's license, no Social Security number, no nothin'.

Of course, it also means no taxes, right?  I mean, total silver lining there.

Getting reinstated would still cause problems anyway.  It would mean his now ex-wife would have to repay the Social Security benefits she and her kids received upon Miller's "death."  So, that's kind of a jerk move.

So, what now?  Well, Miller can take his cause to federal court, but he says he doesn't have the money to do so.  Looks like he'll be the "walking dead" for a while longer.

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