§769. Access to safety deposit boxes held jointly or standing in the name of a corporation, unincorporated association, trust estate, agents, or others

A. When a safety deposit box is leased from any bank under the names of two or more persons with the right of access being given to any one of such persons, the survivor or survivors, whether or not the other or others are living, has and the bank may permit any of them to have free access to the safety deposit box including the right to remove the contents thereof. In such case, the signature of such person or persons entering the safety deposit box is a full release and discharge of the bank permitting such entry as to any heir, legatee, creditor, or other person having rights or claims to funds or property of the decedent, and no bank permitting entry into the safety deposit box in accordance with the provisions of this Section shall be liable for any estate, inheritance, or succession taxes which may be due this state.

B. When any such safety deposit box is leased from any association under the names of two or more persons, with the right of access being given to any one of such persons, if one of such lessees seeks to prevent access by any of the lessees, the lessee seeking to do so must give notice in writing, signed by him and delivered to the association.

C. After the receipt of such notice from one or more of such lessees, the association may refuse to permit access to the safety deposit box of any of the lessees, including the ones requesting the denial of access, unless all of the lessees of the safety deposit box appoint in writing the persons to have access to the safety deposit box.

D. If any association has received a notice in writing required in Subsection B of this Section, the association shall be relieved of responsibility to each and every one of the lessees of the safety deposit box in question for failure or refusal to permit access thereto, except where all of the lessees of the safety deposit box enter the box together or appoint in writing the persons to have access to the safety deposit box.

E. When a safety deposit box is leased from any association under the name of either a corporation or an unincorporated association, with the right of access being given to persons authorized by a resolution of the board of directors of the corporation or of the governing body of the unincorporated association, notwithstanding the death of any such persons, the association may permit the persons authorized by a resolution of the board of directors of the corporation or of the governing body of the unincorporated association to have free access to the safety deposit box, including the right to remove the contents thereof. In such case, the signature of the authorized persons entering the safety deposit box is a full release and discharge of the association permitting such entry as to any heir, legatee, creditor, or other person having rights or claims to funds or property of the decedent, nor shall any association permitting entry into the safety deposit box in accordance with the provisions hereof be liable for any estate, inheritance, or succession taxes which may be due this state.

F. When a safety deposit box is leased from any association by a trust estate, whether in the name of the trust estate or the trustees thereof, with the right of access being given to the trustees designated in the instrument creating the trust estate or appointed in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 9:1721 et seq., notwithstanding the death of any such trustee and notwithstanding the termination of the trust, the association may permit the trustees so designated or appointed to have free access to the safety deposit box, including the right to remove the contents thereof. In such case, the signature of the trustees entering the safety deposit box is a full release and discharge of the association permitting such entry as to anyone, including any heir, legatee, creditor, or other person having rights or claims to funds or property of the decedent, nor shall any association permitting entry into said safety deposit box in accordance with the provisions hereof be liable for any estate, inheritance, or succession taxes which may be due this state.

G. When a safety deposit box is leased from any association under the name of a person, with the right of access being given to said person and to an agent or deputy appointed by said person, notwithstanding the death of any agent or deputy, the association may permit the person under whose name the safety deposit box is leased or any surviving agent or deputy to have free access thereto, including the right to remove the contents thereof. In such case, the signature of the person entering the safety deposit box is a full release and discharge of the association permitting the entry as to any heir, legatee, creditor, or other person having rights or claims to funds or property of the decedent, nor shall any association permitting entry into the safety deposit box in accordance with the provisions hereof be liable for any estate, inheritance, or succession taxes which may be due this state.

Acts 1983, No. 675, §1; Acts 1989, No. 357, §1.