2009 California Probate Code - Section 230-234 :: Chapter 2. Proceedings To Determine Survival

230.  A petition may be filed under this chapter for any one or more
of the following purposes:
   (a) To determine for the purposes of Section 103, 220, 222, 223,
224, 6211, 6242, 6243, 6403, 21109, 21110 or other provision of this
code whether one person survived another.
   (b) To determine for the purposes of Section 673 whether issue of
an appointee survived the donee.
   (c) To determine for the purposes of Section 24611 of the
Education Code whether a person has survived in order to receive
benefits payable under the system.
   (d) To determine for the purposes of Section 21509 of the
Government Code whether a person has survived in order to receive
money payable under the system.

231.  A petition may be filed under this chapter by any of the
following:
   (a) The personal representative of any person the priority of
whose death is in issue under the applicable provision referred to in
Section 230.
   (b) Any other person interested in the estate of any such person.

232.  (a) The petition shall be filed in the estate proceeding in
which the person filing the petition received his or her appointment
or in the estate proceeding for the estate in which the person filing
the petition claims an interest.
   (b) The court that first acquires jurisdiction under this section
has exclusive jurisdiction for the purposes of this chapter.

233.  Notice of the hearing on the petition shall be given as
provided in Section 1220 to all of the following persons:
   (a) The personal representative of each person the priority of
whose death is in issue if there is a personal representative for the
person.
   (b)  Each known devisee of each person the priority of whose death
is in issue.
   (c)  Each known heir of each person the priority of whose death is
in issue.
   (d) All persons (or their attorneys if they have appeared by
attorneys) who have requested special notice as provided in Section
1250 in the proceeding in which the petition is filed or who have
given notice of appearance in person or by attorney in that
proceeding.

234.  If the court determines that the named persons are dead and
that it has not been established by clear and convincing evidence
that one person survived another, the court shall make an order to
that effect. If the court determines that the named persons are dead
and that there is clear and convincing evidence that one person
survived another, the court shall make an order setting forth the
order in which the persons died. The order, when it becomes final, is
a binding determination of the facts set forth in the order and is
conclusive as against the personal representatives of the deceased
persons named in the order and against all persons claiming by,
through, or under any of the deceased persons.