1,844. When a Majority of Witnesses Wins

Hilchos Geirushin 12:21

If one woman testifies that a man died, or if the man’s own wife testifies that he died, and one halachically-valid witness later testifies that he didn’t die, then the man’s wife may not remarry; if she already remarried, she must leave the second husband.

Hilchos Geirushin 12:22

If one woman testifies that a man didn’t die but two other women testify that he did, the man’s wife may remarry. Similarly, if ten women testify that a man didn’t die but eleven other women testify that he did, she may remarry. This is because the rule that two witnesses are equal to 100 witnesses was only stated in reference to halachically-valid witnesses. When it comes to witnesses whose testimony would normally be considered inadmissible, we follow the majority whether that results in a lenient or a stringent outcome.