(a) If a deposit in a financial institution is made under this article, money remaining unclaimed at the expiration of five years after the date of the deposit, together with the increase and proceeds of the deposit, shall be presumed abandoned in any of the following circumstances:
(1) The deposit belongs to the estate of a known decedent for which a personal representative has never been appointed.
(2) The deposit belongs to the estate of a known decedent for which a personal representative has been appointed but no order of distribution has been made due to the absence of interested persons or the failure of interested persons diligently to protect their interests by taking reasonable steps for the purpose of securing a distribution of the estate.
(b) The Controller may, at any time after the expiration of the five-year period, file a petition with the court setting forth the fact that the money has remained on deposit in a financial institution under the circumstances described in subdivision (a) for the five-year period, and requesting an order declaring that the money is presumptively abandoned and directing the holder of the money to pay the money to the State Treasurer.
(c) Upon presentation of a certified copy of a court order made under subdivision (b), the financial institution shall forthwith transmit the money to the State Treasurer for deposit in the State Treasury. The deposit shall be made as provided in Section 1310 of the Code of Civil Procedure. All money deposited in the State Treasury under the provisions of this section shall be deemed to be deposited in the State Treasury under the provisions of Article 1 (commencing with Section 1440) of Chapter 6 of Title 10 of Part 3 of the Code of Civil Procedure. The deposit shall be transmitted, received, accounted for, and disposed of as provided by Title 10 (commencing with Section 1300) of Part 3 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(Enacted by Stats. 1990, Ch. 79.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018