4-107. Nonresident alien; property by succession or testamentary disposition; taking of property in this state; conditions; escheat; disposition of escheated property.
(1) The right of an alien not residing within the United States or its territories to take either real or personal property or the proceeds thereof in this state by succession or testamentary disposition, upon the same terms and conditions as inhabitants and citizens of the United States, is dependent in each case:
(a) Upon the existence of a reciprocal right upon the part of citizens of the United States to take real and personal property and the proceeds thereof upon the same terms and conditions as inhabitants and citizens of the country of which such alien is an inhabitant;
(b) Upon the rights of citizens of the United States to receive by payment to them within the United States or its territories money originating from the estates of persons dying within such foreign country; and
(c) Upon proof that such nonresident alien heirs, distributees, devisees, or legatees may receive the benefit, use, or control of property or proceeds from estates of persons dying in this state without confiscation in whole or in part, by the governments of such foreign countries.
(2) The burden is upon such nonresident alien to establish the fact of existence of the reciprocal rights set forth in subsection (1) of this section.
(3) If such reciprocal rights are not found to exist, the property shall be delivered to the State Treasurer to be held for a period of five years from date of death during which time such nonresident alien may show that he has become eligible to receive such property. If at the end of such period of five years no showing of eligibility is made by such nonresident alien, his rights to such property or proceeds shall be barred.
(4) At any time within the one year following the date the rights of such nonresident alien have been barred, any other person other than an ineligible nonresident alien who, in the case of succession or testamentary disposition, would have been entitled to the property or proceeds by virtue of the laws of Nebraska governing intestate descent and distribution had the nonresident alien predeceased the decedent, may petition the district court of Lancaster County for payment or delivery of such property or proceeds to those entitled thereto.
(5) If no person has petitioned the district court of Lancaster County for payment or delivery of such property or proceeds within six years from the date of death of decedent, such property or proceeds shall be disposed of as escheated property.
(6) All property other than money delivered to the State Treasurer under this section may within one year after delivery be sold by him to the highest bidder at public sale in whatever city in the state affords in his judgment the most favorable market for the property involved. The State Treasurer may decline the highest bid and reoffer the property for sale if he considers the price bid insufficient. He need not offer any property for sale if, in his opinion, the probable cost of sale exceeds the value of the property. Any sale held under this section shall be preceded by a single publication of notice thereof at least three weeks in advance of sale in an English language newspaper of general circulation in the county where the property is to be sold and the cost of such publication and other expenses of sale paid out of the proceeds of such sale. The purchaser at any sale conducted by the State Treasurer pursuant to this section shall receive title to the property purchased, free from all claims of the owner or prior holder thereof and of all persons claiming through or under them. The State Treasurer shall execute all documents necessary to complete the transfer of title.
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Annotations
Prior to 1963, when the method by which nonresident aliens may take land by inheritance was provided, nonresident aliens could not inherit lands in Nebraska but were to be paid the full value therefor by the state. Shames v. State, 192 Neb. 614, 223 N.W.2d 481 (1974).