2-9-101. Petition to establish rights upon death of owner of life estate or joint interest in realty; notice; decree; recording and effect thereof.

If any person dies seized of a life estate which terminates by reason of his death, or of an estate by the entireties, or of an estate by joint tenancy or joint estate with another, any person interested in the property or in the title thereto may file in the district court of the county in which the property is situated a verified petition setting forth such facts. After two (2) weeks notice by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, or otherwise as the court may order, the court shall hear the petition and the evidence offered in support thereof. If upon hearing it appears to the court that such life estate, estate by entireties, estate by joint tenancy or joint estate was created and vested, and that the life estate of the deceased person terminated by reason of death, or that the estate by entireties remains vested solely in the surviving spouse by reason of death, or that the estate by joint tenancy or joint estate remains vested solely in the surviving joint tenant or joint tenants, the court shall so decree. A certified copy of the decree shall be recorded in the office of the county clerk and thereafter the decree and the record thereof together with the record of the instrument or instruments purporting to create the life estate, estate by entireties, estate by joint tenancy or joint estate, shall be presumptive evidence of the creation of such estate, the termination thereof and the survivorship of the estate by entireties, estates by joint tenancy or joint estate.