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Home » US Law » 2022 West Virginia Code » Chapter 44. Administration of Estates and Trusts » Article 9. Persons Presumed to Be Dead and Their Estates

§44-9-1. When Person Presumed to Be Dead

In case any person has been or shall be absent for seven or more successive years from the place of his last domicile within this state; or, having been a resident of this state, has heretofore gone from and has not returned to this state for seven or more successive years; or, being a resident […]

§44-9-10. Procedure When Supposed Decedent Fails to Appear

If such supposed decedent shall not appear, or satisfactory evidence that he is alive shall not be offered, on or before such date, the circuit court shall review the record from the county court filed in such suit, and, if satisfied that the county court improperly ruled on the facts before it with reference to […]

§44-9-11. Distribution of Estate; Refunding Bonds

When the commissioner in chancery has rendered his report, and all exceptions thereto have been disposed of, the court may enter a decree authorizing the payment of creditors and assigning and transferring such estate to the persons entitled thereto, or directing sale thereof and distribution of the proceeds of sale among the creditors and persons […]

§44-9-12. Vacation of Prior Proceedings on Reappearance of Supposed Decedent

The circuit court may at any time, on satisfactory proof that the supposed decedent is in fact alive, set aside and vacate all proceedings theretofore had in such suit, including the decree of distribution, if such has been entered, and any order or decree entered by it or the county court establishing the presumption of […]

§44-9-16. Costs, by Whom Payable

The costs attending the issuance of letters testamentary or of administration, or their revocation, and the probate of any will, and of the suit for the settlement of the estate, shall be paid out of the estate of the supposed decedent; and costs arising upon an application for letters which shall not be granted shall […]

§44-9-2. Jurisdiction of Estate of Supposed Decedent

Whenever it is believed that facts giving rise to the presumption of death exist with reference to any person, the county court of the county of such person’s last-known domicile in this state, or, if such person was a nonresident of this state, the county court of the county where the greater part of his […]

§44-9-4. Ancillary Letters on Estates of Nonresidents Supposed to Be Dead

Whenever letters testamentary or of administration shall have been granted in any other state, territory or country, on the estate of a resident thereof presumed to be dead on account of absence for seven or more successive years from the place of his last domicile, the person to whom such letters have been granted, may […]

§44-9-5. Evidence on Such Application; Record Thereof

At the hearing in either of the cases provided for in the preceding two sections, the county commission shall receive all legal evidence as may be offered, for the purpose of ascertaining whether the presumption of death is established; or it may refer the matter to a fiduciary commissioner to take such evidence, and report […]

§44-9-8. Personal Representative to Institute Suit to Settle Such Estate

The personal representative of the estate of such supposed decedent shall, after qualifying, institute a suit in equity in the circuit court of the county in which such personal representative qualified, for the settlement of the estate of such supposed decedent. To such suit the surviving wife or husband, heirs, distributees, devisees, legatees, and all […]

§44-9-9. Publication in Such Suit

Such personal representative, upon the institution of such suit, shall cause notice to the supposed decedent to be issued by the clerk of the circuit court, that such suit has been instituted and that such supposed decedent, if alive, is required to appear on a certain day of a regular or special term of said […]