I am not sure that a judge is qualified to determine a person is legally dead.
It would seem someone with a medical degree of some sort should be involved in that.
She declared the cause of death for the death cert. over the phone. That is how I understand it. She also had to give clearance for no autopsy. It is in the news stories.
I’ve seen a dead person. I’m not a judge and I don’t have a medical degree, but there were some “dead” giveaways to bring me to that conclusion.
But. but, but, it was over the phone. That has to be valid!