Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 76A.djvu/668

–572– -572§ 577. Succession to estate of illegitimate child The estate of an illegitimate child, who, having title to an estate not otherwise limited by marriage contract, dies without disposing thereof by will, is succeeded to as if he had been born in lawful wedlock if he has been legitimated by a subsequent marriage of his parents, or adopted by his father as provided by section 387 of Title 8; otherwise, the estate is succeeded to as if the child had been born in lawful wedlock and had survived his father and all persons related to him only through his father. § 578. Inheritance rights of adopted children; restriction An adopted child is a descendant of one who has adopted him, the same as a natural child, for all purposes of succession by, from or through the adopting parent, the same as a natural parent. An adopted child does not succeed to the estate of a natural parent when the relationship between them has been severed by adoption, nor does the natural parent succeed to the estate of the adopted child, nor does the adopted child succeed to the estate of a relative of the natural parent, nor does any relative of the natural parent succeed to the estate of an adopted child. § 579. Person convicted of murder or voluntary manslaughter of decedent A person who has been convicted of the murder or voluntary manslaughter of the decedent is not entitled to succeed to any portion of his estate; but the portion thereof to which he would otherwise be entitled to succeed descends to the other persons entitled thereto under this chapter. CHAPTER 33—ESCHEAT Sec. 611. 612. 613. 614. 61.5. 616. 617. 618.

When property escheats. Action to determine rifjht of United States to escheated property. Description of property. Order requiring interested parties to appear. Custody of property. Joinder of parties jind fictions. Appearance, pleadings, and Judgment. Claim to escheated property; procedure, hearing and determination; limitation. 619. Disposition of proceeds.

§ 611. When property escheats If an intestate decedent does not leave a spouse or kindred, and there are no heirs to take his estate or any portion thereof, under section 549, 550 or 551 of this title, or if a person dies leaving any property in his estate not disposed of by will, and there are no persons entitled to succeed thereto under the laws of the Canal Zone, the property escheats to the United States. § 612. Action to determine right of United States to escheated property When the United States attorney is informed that an estate has escheated or is about to escheat to the United States or that the property involved in an action or special proceeding has escheated or IS about to escheat to the United States, he may commence an action on behalf of the United States to determine its rights to the property or may intervene on its behalf in an action or special proceeding aflFecting any such estate and contest the rights of claimants thereto. The action shall be commenced by filing a petition in the district court.

�