Donald E. Miller, Jr. was dead — he died in 1994. Nearly two decades later, very much alive, he stood in an Ohio courtroom. His goal: he wanted to not be dead anymore. Ohio probate judge Allan H. Davis had to tell him the bad news: Miller was to remain dead. The problem started nearly ten years before that day in court. In 1986, Miller, then unquestionably alive, ran out on his wife and two daughters, leaving them in significant debt. He didn’t do anything to help them thereafter; rather, he disappeared — no one who knew where he went, as he never told anyone. More importantly, he never sent any child support, alimony, or other financial assistance, making this deadbeat dad was as good as dead to those back in Ohio. But officially, he was alive — at least until 1994. Donald owed more than $25,000 in unpaid child support, money his family would certainly never see. So his (effectively) ex-wife Robin asked the state to declare him legally dead. Doing so would entitle her and the children to a Social Security death benefit of about $30,000 — money the family could really use to account for that gap. … Continue reading The Dead Man Who Sued to Make Himself Alive