(a) Whenever a claim has been rejected, in whole or in part, as provided in section 45a-360, the person whose claim has been rejected may, within thirty days from and including the date of such rejection, make application to the Probate Court to hear and decide such claim or, in the alternative, may apply to said court to refer the claim to a probate magistrate or attorney probate referee to hear such claim. The court may, in its discretion, grant the application, hear and decide such claim if the application so requests or refer such claim to a probate magistrate or attorney probate referee if the application so requests. The court shall notify the applicant and the fiduciary of its action granting or denying the application within fifteen days after receipt of the application.

(b) If the application to receive and decide such claim by the court or for the referral of such claim to a probate magistrate or attorney probate referee is denied, the claimant shall commence suit within one hundred twenty days from and including the date of the denial of the claimant's application or be barred from asserting or recovering on such claim from the fiduciary, the estate of the decedent or any creditor or beneficiary of the estate.

(c) If the Probate Court refers the claim to a probate magistrate or attorney probate referee, the provisions of section 45a-123 shall govern the proceedings.

(P.A. 87-384, S. 12; P.A. 94-66, S. 2, 3; P.A. 13-81, S. 14.)

History: Sec. 45-230m transferred to Sec. 45a-364 in 1991; P.A. 94-66 amended Subsec. (f) to authorize the assessment of costs permitted by Sec. 45a-107, effective July 1, 1994; P.A. 13-81 amended Subsec. (a) to substitute “Probate Court” for “Court of Probate”, replace provision re disinterested persons appointed as commissioners to hear and decide claims with provision re referral of claim to a probate magistrate or attorney probate referee, deleted former Subsecs. (b), (d), (e) and (f) re commissioners, redesignated existing Subsec. (c) as Subsec. (b), added new Subsec. (c) re Sec. 45a-123 to govern referred proceedings, and made technical and conforming changes.

Cited. 42 CA 59.