Section 1406 - Claims for abandoned property heretofore or hereafter paid to the state1.(a) Claim may be filed with the state comptroller for any abandoned property amounting to over three dollars heretofore paid to the state or hereafter paid or delivered to the state comptroller pursuant to this chapter, except abandoned property heretofore paid to the state pursuant to (i) section nine of chapter six hundred fifty-one of the laws of eighteen hundred ninety-two, section forty-four of chapter fifty-eight of the laws of nineteen hundred nine or as such section was amended by chapter two hundred seventeen of the laws of nineteen hundred thirty-three and chapter two hundred thirty-one of the laws of nineteen hundred thirty-eight, and section eighty-four of chapter five hundred ninety-three of the laws of nineteen hundred forty;(ii) section two hundred seventy-two of the surrogate's court act;(iii) chapter eight hundred fifteen of the laws of nineteen hundred forty-one as amended by chapter seven hundred eighty-eight of the laws of nineteen hundred forty-two;(iv) chapter one hundred seven of the laws of nineteen hundred forty-two, if such abandoned property was less than one dollar in amount;(v) chapter seven hundred twenty-seven of the laws of nineteen hundred twenty-six, or as such chapter was amended by chapter four hundred fifty-six of the laws of nineteen hundred twenty-seven and section sixty of chapter fifty-four of the laws of nineteen hundred twenty-nine, if so paid prior to June first, nineteen hundred forty-one;(vi) and abandoned property hereafter paid to the state comptroller pursuant to subdivisions (a) or (b) of section six hundred one or section twelve hundred twelve of this chapter.(b) The comptroller shall possess full and complete authority to determine all such claims and shall forthwith send written notice of such determination to the claimant. At any time within four months thereafter, such claimant may apply for a hearing and a redetermination of his claim. After an appropriate hearing on notice, before the comptroller or person duly designated by him, the comptroller shall make and serve his final determination, which alone shall be reviewable by application to the supreme court, Albany county, within four months following the notice of such final determination, upon not less than ten days' notice to the comptroller.(c) The comptroller, or any person duly designated by him, is empowered to take testimony and proofs, under oath, upon such hearing, and shall have power to subpoena and require the attendance of witnesses and the production of books, papers and documents pertinent to such hearings.(d) Whenever it shall be necessary for the state comptroller to determine the validity of a claim for abandoned property heretofore paid to the state pursuant to section five of the banking law or hereafter paid to the state pursuant to section thirteen hundred of this chapter, he shall forthwith notify the corporation which paid such abandoned property to the state of such claim. Within thirty days after such notification such corporation shall send a verified written report to the state comptroller, containing such information as the state comptroller may require from its books or records. The state comptroller shall determine from such report the validity of such claim.2.(a) Claim in the amount or value of ten thousand dollars or more for any abandoned property heretofore paid to the state pursuant to section forty-four of chapter fifty-eight of the laws of nineteen hundred nine or as such section was amended by chapter two hundred seventeen of the laws of nineteen hundred thirty-three and chapter two hundred thirty-one of the laws of nineteen hundred thirty-eight, or hereafter paid to the state comptroller pursuant to paragraph (a) of subdivision one of section six hundred of this chapter, may be established only on order of the court which had original jurisdiction of the underlying matter, after service of notice upon the state comptroller and upon due notice to all parties to the action or proceeding which resulted in the monies being paid into court. Such court withdrawal action shall be commenced in the court which had original jurisdiction of the underlying matter using the court index number of such original action. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, no such withdrawal action shall be brought as a special proceeding against the state comptroller. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, if an order directing payment by the state comptroller is made by the court, the claimant or the claimant's attorney shall serve upon the state comptroller a copy thereof, duly certified by the clerk of the court to be a true copy of the original of such order on file in the clerk's office.(b) Where the value or amount of the claim is less than ten thousand dollars, payment may be made by the state comptroller on sworn application of the claimant when the identity of the claimant as the person entitled to payment is established to the satisfaction of the state comptroller. When, in the determination of the state comptroller, there is insufficient information to enable the state comptroller to make a determination of entitlement, any claim, including a claim the amount of which is less than ten thousand dollars, must be established on order of the court as set forth in paragraph (a) of this subdivision. The decision of the state comptroller that the information is insufficient shall not be deemed a denial of the claim.3. Claim for any abandoned property heretofore paid to the state pursuant to section two thousand two hundred twenty-two of the surrogate's court procedure act or hereafter paid to the state comptroller pursuant to paragraph (b) of subdivision one of section six hundred of this chapter may be established only in accordance with section two thousand two hundred twenty-two of the surrogate's court procedure act. Any other provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, if an order directing payment by the state comptroller is made by the court, the claimant or the claimant's attorney shall serve upon the state comptroller a copy thereof, duly certified by the clerk of the court to be a true copy of the original of such order on file in the clerk's office.4.(a) Claim for any abandoned property heretofore paid to the state pursuant to chapter eight hundred fifteen of the laws of nineteen hundred forty-one as amended by chapter seven hundred eighty-eight of the laws of nineteen hundred forty-two, or hereafter paid to the state comptroller pursuant to section twelve hundred twelve of this chapter, may be established only in accordance with this subdivision.(b) Such claim may be established only by a person, copartnership, unincorporated association or corporation who shall have had no actual knowledge of the escheat proceeding and who shall commence a proceeding in the supreme court within five years after the entry of the final order of escheat, except that this limitation of time shall be extended pursuant to the provisions of limitations of time for commencing actions of the civil practice law and rules.(c) Such proceeding shall be commenced by a verified petition and notice of motion, which shall be served upon the comptroller, who shall have twenty days within which to answer. The petition shall set forth the true name, residence and business address, if any, of the claimant and shall also set forth in full detail the basis of the claim and the claimant's chain of title thereto.(d) In such proceeding the presumptions set forth in section twelve hundred one of this chapter shall apply.(e) If the court, after hearing the testimony, shall find that such claimant, or his predecessor in interest, would have been entitled to any part of the escheated fund in the escheat proceeding, it shall enter a final order directing the comptroller to pay to him from the abandoned property fund an amount equal to that part of such escheated fund to which he would have been so entitled, provided such amount shall have been collected and received by the comptroller, without interest and costs.5.(a) Payment made by the comptroller upon presentation of satisfactory proof of entitlement, on a claim made by either of two depositors for the proceeds of a joint deposit or share account originally established pursuant to section six hundred seventy-five of the banking law, shall be a valid and sufficient release and discharge to the comptroller for such payment made on account of such deposit or share prior to the receipt by the comptroller of notice in writing signed by any one of such depositors, not to pay such deposit or shares and any additions or accruals thereon. After receipt of such notice, the comptroller may require the receipt or acquittance of both such depositors or shareholders for any payment.(b) Payment by the comptroller on a claim for the proceeds of a deposit account, including any additions or accruals thereon, originally established pursuant to section 7-5.2 of the estates, powers and trusts law or former subdivision two of section one hundred thirty-four of the banking law, may be made to the beneficiary of such deposit account upon presentation of satisfactory proof of entitlement. The receipt or acquittance of such beneficiary shall be a valid and sufficient release and discharge to the comptroller for the deposit account, or any part thereof, for such payment prior to the receipt by the comptroller of notice in writing that there exists a testamentary disposition sufficient to dispose of such deposit account pursuant to said section 7-5.2 of the estates, powers and trusts law.6.(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, claim for any abandoned condemnation award heretofore or hereafter paid to the state comptroller pursuant to sections ten hundred and ten hundred three of this chapter for the benefit of unknown persons, or for the benefit of known owners if claim is made by the holder of an equitable lien, may be established only on order of the court which made the award after service of notice upon the state comptroller. Any other provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, if an order directing payment by the state comptroller is made by the court, the claimant or the claimant's attorney shall serve upon the state comptroller a copy thereof, duly certified by the clerk of the court to be a true copy of the original of such order on file in the clerk's office.(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, payment for any abandoned condemnation award heretofore or hereafter paid to the state comptroller pursuant to sections ten hundred and ten hundred three of this chapter for the benefit of known persons may be made by the state comptroller on sworn application, where the name and last known address of the person or persons entitled to payment and any other identifying information as appearing on the records of the court into which payment was made is included in the report required to be filed pursuant to section ten hundred three of this chapter and when the identity of the claimant as the person entitled to payment is established to the satisfaction of the state comptroller. When, in the determination of the state comptroller, the identifying information included in the report is insufficient to enable the state comptroller to make a determination of entitlement, such claim must be established only on order of the court as set forth in paragraph (a) of this subdivision.N.Y. Aband. Prop. Law § 1406
Amended by New York Laws 2014, ch. 453, Sec. 1, eff. 11/21/2014.