(a) If, at any hearing before a court of probate on an application for an order for the distribution of the estate or for the payment of legacies provided for in the will of a deceased person whose estate is in process of settlement in the court, it is found by the court that any person who if living would be an heir at law of such decedent, or a legatee or distributee under such will, has been absent from his home and unheard of for a period of seven years or more next prior to the date of the death of the decedent and until the date of such hearing, the court shall find as a presumptive fact that such person died prior to the death of the decedent whose estate is in settlement, and shall order such distribution of the estate or payment of such legacies as would have been made if such person was known to have died prior to the death of the decedent whose estate is in settlement.
(b) After such administration and distribution, the fiduciary shall not be liable to the person so presumed to be dead in any action for the recovery of the estate.
(1949 Rev., S. 7061; P.A. 80-476, S. 329; P.A. 94-79, S. 2.)
History: P.A. 80-476 divided section into Subsecs. and rephrased provisions; Sec. 45-277 transferred to Sec. 45a-446 in 1991; P.A. 94-79 deleted former Subsec. (b) that had required a person entitled to receive a legacy or distribution pursuant to Subsec. (a) to post a surety bond in the event the person presumed to be dead reappears and demands the amount paid or distributed, provided that the legacy or amount to be distributed be placed at interest if such person fails to post a bond with the interest paid annually to the person entitled to receive such estate, and prohibited the payment or distribution without the required security until five years after the death of the person whose estate is in settlement and replaced Subsec. (c) re liability of the fiduciary, distributee and legatee to the person presumed to be dead and to his executors, administrators, heirs or assigns with new Subsec. (b) re liability of the fiduciary to the person presumed to be dead in any action for the recovery of the estate.
Annotations to former section 45-277:
Heir taking under section may plead statute of limitations to suit to recover brought by missing heir. 90 C. 569.
Superior Court cannot determine heirs and distributees, only Probate Court may. 7 CS 106.
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