Terms Used In Alabama Code 43-6-2

  • Decedent: A deceased person.
  • Escheat: Reversion of real or personal property to the state when 1) a person dies without leaving a will and has no heirs, or 2) when the property (such as a bank account) has been inactive for a certain period of time. Source: OCC
  • person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • property: includes both real and personal property. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Alabama Code 1-1-1

The personal representative of any person leaving property not devised or bequeathed, or where the devisees or legatees are incapable of taking and such representative is unable to ascertain any lawful heirs or distributees or persons capable of taking within six months after the grant of letters testamentary or of administration, must give notice thereof in some newspaper published in the state once a week for three successive weeks; but it shall not be necessary for any personal representative to institute escheat proceedings under this chapter until the debts of the decedent have been paid.