Alternatively: the laws for declaring somebody dead if theyâre missing for long enough are still in place, but the magistrates are just refusing to enforce them in this particular case.
After all, last time they declared Bilbo Baggins deadâ which involved filling out all the paperwork necessary to declare somebody dead without a bodyâ he had the rudeness to show up again, forcing them to do a lot more paperwork, and this time with an indignant Bilbo having a go at them while they did it.
As a result, the magistrates have decided that theyâre not going to declare Bilbo Baggins dead a second time unless they have a body, a coroners reprt explaining the cause of death, and a three day wake to make sure that he doesnât get up and walk away again.
Centuries later, hobbit parents tell their children that Mad Baggins is forever gone from the shireâ at least until the day when somebody is stupid enough to declare him legally dead, at which point legend states that he will immediately come marching back, demanding an explanation.