STAR CITY - sara lance’s attempt to reclaim her legal identity saw a major breakthrough thursday after star city superior court formally accepted biometric evidence confirming that the woman presumed dead for thirteen years is, in fact, sara lance.
the ruling marks the first substantial legal victory for lance since her sudden reappearance earlier this month, though the court stopped short of immediately reversing her death status.
judge evelyn hayes described the evidence - including DNA analysis, dental records, + archived medical documentation - as compelling.
❛ the issue before this court is no longer whether ms. lance is sara lance, ❜ hayes said during proceedings. ❛ the remaining issue is how the law addresses thirteen years of presumed death. ❜
thursday’s hearing drew one of the largest crowds seen at star city superior court in years, with journalists, spectators, + several high-profile city figures filling the courtroom before proceedings began.
among those present was @oliverjonas, appearing publicly alongside the lance family for the first time since sara lance’s return.
queen declined to answer questions from reporters, though witnesses described visible tension + emotional exchanges throughout the hearing, particularly between sara lance + her father, quentin lance + brother, winn schott ( @paradoxlost ).
at one point, quentin lance reportedly exited the courtroom midway through testimony before later returning.
outside the courthouse, police maintained barricades as supporters + protestors gathered throughout the afternoon.
some held signs reading let sara come home while others questioned the lack of public explanation surrounding her disappearance.
❛ thirteen years is a long time to vanish without answers, ❜ one protestor told reporters. ❛ people are going to ask questions. ❜
despite the court’s acknowledgment of lance’s identity, the mystery surrounding her disappearance continues to dominate proceedings.
during cross-examination, assistant city attorney marcus vell repeatedly pressed lance regarding where she had been since the queen’s gambit sinking in 2007.
❛ were you held against your will ? ❜ vell asked.
after a lengthy pause, lance responded: ❛ for some of it. ❜
the statement immediately triggered audible reactions throughout the courtroom. when asked to elaborate, lance declined further comment on advice from counsel.
her attorney, naomi cheng, later argued that forcing lance to publicly recount traumatic experiences was irrelevant to the issue of legal identity.
❛ ms. lance should not be punished for surviving, ❜ cheng told reporters. ❛ this process is about correcting a legal error, not turning personal trauma into public spectacle. ❜
legal experts say the case could become one of the most significant civil restoration proceedings in recent star city history.
following her presumed death, sara lance’s financial records, government documentation, + legal standing were dissolved under state law. restoring that identity now requires the court to effectively rebuild her existence from scratch.
❛ every institution tied to her identity has spent thirteen years operating under the assumption that she was dead, ❜ said helen mora, professor of civil law at ivy university. ❛ there is very little precedent for something like this. ❜
legal analysts also note that the case may impact future standards regarding wrongful death declarations + long-term missing persons cases.
public interest surrounding the case has only intensified in recent days.
hashtags including #SaraLanceAlive, #QueensGambitMystery, + #LetHerComeHome trended nationally following thursday’s hearing, while online speculation regarding lance’s missing years continues to spread across social media.
unverified claims alleging sightings of lance in multiple countries over the last decade have circulated widely, though none have been confirmed by officials.
neither the lance family nor oliver queen has released a formal public statement.
the court has scheduled a final evidentiary hearing for next month, where lance’s legal team is expected to present additional testimony + documentation supporting the full restoration of her legal identity.
if approved, the ruling would officially void sara lance’s death certificate, restoring her status as a living citizen under the law.
until then, the woman once remembered only as one of the queen’s gambit’s lost passengers remains suspended somewhere between survivor, mystery, + legal ghost.
this is a developing story. updates will follow as more information becomes available.
