(a) Any person who has been absent from his home and unheard of for a period of seven or more years shall be presumed to be dead.

(b) If such person left a will, it shall be presented for probate, and, if he left no will, administration on his estate shall be granted by the court of probate having jurisdiction, as provided in section 45a-303, and his estate may be settled and distributed in the same manner as if he were known to be dead.

(c) After such administration and distribution, the fiduciary shall not be liable to the person so presumed to be dead in any action for the recovery of the estate.

(1949 Rev., S. 6984; 1959, P.A. 325, S. 1; P.A. 80-476, S. 306; P.A. 94-79, S. 1.)

History: 1959 act authorized immediate payments for support of wife, child or dependent without requiring bond; P.A. 80-476 divided section into Subsecs., restated provisions and substituted “spouse” for “wife” and “fiduciary” for reference to executor or administrator; Sec. 45-199 transferred to Sec. 45-257c in 1981; Sec. 45-257c transferred to Sec. 45a-329 in 1991; P.A. 94-79 deleted former Subsec. (c) that had required legatees or distributees to post a surety bond in the event the person presumed to be dead reappeared and demanded the amount paid or distributed, provided that the legacy or amount to be distributed be placed at interest if the legatee or distributee is unable to give the required security with the interest paid annually to the legatee or distributee, prohibited the payment or distribution without the required security until five years had elapsed from the granting of the letters of administration or letters testamentary, and permitted the payment of support to a spouse, minor child or other dependent who is a legatee or distributee without requiring a bond, and relettered the remaining Subsec. accordingly.

See Sec. 45a-446 re distribution of estate when heir is presumed dead.

Annotations to former section 45-199:

Section valid; notice necessary. 88 C. 425. Scope of statute; application limited to question of administration of estates; common law presumption unchanged in other cases. 108 C. 276.

Presumption of death is one of death only and not of time of death. 7 CS 106.