2012 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 45a - Probate Courts and Procedure
Chapter 802b - Decedents’ Estates
Section 45a-431 - (Formerly Sec. 45-272). Distribution of estates.

(a) Court to ascertain heirs and distributees. The Court of Probate shall ascertain the heirs and distributees of each intestate estate, and the heirs and distributees of, and their respective shares in, each testate estate so far as the will may leave the same indefinite and necessary to be defined or so far as it is necessary to give effect to an agreement made in accordance with the provisions of section 45a-434.

(b) Court to order fiduciary to distribute estate. The court shall order the administrator or other fiduciary charged with the administration of the estate to deliver possession of or pay over the intestate estate and the shares in each testate estate so far as the will may leave the same indefinite and necessary to be defined to the person or persons entitled thereto in the proportions provided by law, or, if distributors are appointed or a mutual distribution is filed, as provided in section 45a-433, or if disinterested persons are appointed to make division or an agreement is filed, as provided in section 45a-434, the court shall order the fiduciary of the estate to deliver possession of or pay over the same in accordance with the division made by such distributors or mutual distribution or agreement, as the case may be. The fiduciary shall take proper receipts for any such delivery or payment.

(1949 Rev., S. 7056; P.A. 77-417, S. 2; P.A. 80-476, S. 318.)

History: P.A. 77-417 amended section to include references to agreements made in accordance with Sec. 45-182 (later transferred to Sec. 45-272a); P.A. 80-476 divided section into Subsecs. and rephrased provisions; Sec. 45-272 transferred to Sec. 45a-431 in 1991.

Heir has right to ask for ascertainment of heirs. 55 C. 410. Cited. 67 C. 18. This section is declaratory of preexisting law. Id., 442. The determination of the court of probate as to the parties entitled to take under a will cannot be collaterally attacked, but only by appeal; is conclusive. 69 C. 79; 90 C. 561. Cited. 69 C. 616. Application for order of distribution irregular; order where only one heir. 71 C. 128; 72 C. 122; 104 C. 103. Determination of heirs or distributees merely incident to order for distribution. 71 C. 129; 72 C. 328. Court may consider extraneous facts to apply terms of will, but cannot finally pass on validity of trust provision. 74 C. 601. Paying balance in estate to person entitled without order of court, see 75 C. 410; 77 C. 378. Approving distribution as implying that it has done so. 75 C. 598; 78 C. 626. Duty of administrator to apply for distribution. 78 C. 622. Distribution to the “heirs” of a living person is void. 80 C. 363; but see 75 C. 601; 83 C. 346; 84 C. 323. Power and duty of court to determine distributees. 81 C. 161; 89 C. 429; 90 C. 567. Court may not consider equities arising from transactions after decedent’s death. 82 C. 311. Proceeds of devised real estate sold under court order distributed as realty would have been. 90 C. 144; 98 C. 333. Court may pass on validity of provisions of will so far as necessary to determine distributees. 90 C. 592. Probate court must first pass on conflicting claims to assets of estate; interpleader will not lie. 91 C. 446. Court of probate cannot revoke order of distribution made on notice after appeal therefrom taken. 92 C. 28. Probate court has jurisdiction to determine incidental questions necessary to a correct conclusion. 117 C. 376. Including necessary construction of will. 120 C. 103. Statement of who are distributees in accepted final account does not constitute an order. Id., 183. Cited. 121 C. 112; 140 C. 111; 143 C. 662. Unless a contrary intent appears, gifts will be construed to take effect in point of right at the death of the testator though their enjoyment is postponed to a future time by the interposition of a life estate or otherwise. 147 C. 272.

Superior court cannot determine whether legatee left issue; it must be made by probate court. 7 CS 106.

Annotations to former section 45-272:

Cited. 150 C. 110. Cited. 174 C. 176. Although it lacks direct jurisdiction to construe wills, a probate court in performing its duty to ascertain distributees has jurisdiction to consider incidental questions, even though this may entail construing a will. 175 C. 372. Cited. 211 C. 121.

Cited. 38 CS 91. Cited. 40 CS 151.

Subsec. (a):

Cited. 194 C. 52.