2022 Delaware Code
Title 12 - Decedents' Estates and Fiduciary Relations
Chapter 17. ABSENTEES; PRESUMED DECEDENTS
§ 1707. Title to real estate of presumed decedent; recording of decree.
(a) Whenever the Court of Chancery enters a decree that the presumption of death of any person has been established, the real estate of the presumed decedent shall pass and devolve as in the case of actual death, and the person entitled by will or under the intestate laws may enter and take possession. In case the presumption of death is thereafter rebutted by adequate proof that the presumed decedent is in fact alive, and the decree is vacated, the real estate shall revert to the person erroneously presumed decedent as fully as though such decree had never been entered, subject, however, to subsection (b) of this section and to payment of the costs and expenses of the proceedings and advertisement.
(b) The decree may be recorded in the office of the Recorder of Deeds of the proper county, in the deed book, and shall be indexed by the Recorder in the grantors' index under the names of the persons taking the real estate; and if so recorded, and the persons taking the real estate sell or mortgage the same, the purchaser or mortgagee shall take a good title or security interest, free and discharged of any interest or claim of the presumed decedent.
16 Del. Laws, c. 132, §§ 1, 2; Code 1915, § 3361; Code 1935, § 3826; 42 Del. Laws, c. 140, § 1; 12 Del. C. 1953, § 1706; 59 Del. Laws, c. 384, § 1; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1;
