A. A lessor shall permit the person named in a court order for the purpose, or if no order has been served upon the lessor, the spouse, a parent, an adult descendant or a person named as an executor in a copy of a purported will produced by him, to open and examine the contents of a safe deposit box leased by a decedent, or any documents delivered by a decedent for safekeeping, in the presence of an officer of the lessor; and the lessor, if so requested by such person, may deliver upon execution of receipt therefor:
(1) any writing purporting to be a will of the decedent;
(2) any writing purporting to be a deed to a burial plot or to give burial instructions to the person making the request for a search; and
(3) any document purporting to be an insurance policy on the life of the decedent to the beneficiary named therein.
B. No other contents shall be removed, pursuant to this section except at the lessor's liability, until a special administrator, an administrator or executor qualifies and makes claim to the contents.
History: 1953 Comp., § 48-22-14, enacted by Laws 1963, ch. 305, § 14.
ANNOTATIONSCross references. — For appointment of personal representative of an estate, see 45-3-103 NMSA 1978.
Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — 10 Am. Jur. 2d Banks §§ 486 to 492.
9 C.J.S. Banks and Banking, § 79.