1201. Presumption of abandonment. In any proceeding authorized by this article if it shall appear from the records of the court of the United States that the rightful owner or owners of money or property which has been or shall hereafter be deposited in the custody or be under the control of, such court, or in the custody of its depository, registry, clerk, or other officer, have not made claim thereto for a period of ten successive years, it shall be presumed for all purposes of this article that such rightful owner or owners are, and during such period have been, unknown, and that they have died without having disposed thereof, and without having left a will, and without having left any heirs, next-of-kin, or distributees, and that such property has been abandoned. In a case where the rightful owners of such money or property was a corporation it shall also be presumed for purposes of this article that the corporation is dissolved and no longer in existence, and its charter forfeited, and all the foregoing presumptions set forth in this section shall be made with respect to the rightful owners or claimants to the assets of such corporation, including its stockholders and creditors. Any or all of the foregoing several presumptions may be rebutted by competent evidence to the contrary.
Last modified: February 3, 2019