If any debt of a person who died in possession of such lands that escheated to the Commonwealth, remains unpaid after all the personal estate of such person has been applied to the payment of his debts, the creditor may file his complaint, accompanied with an affidavit that the debt is bona fide due, to recover such debt in the circuit court to which the inquest of escheat was returned and make the escheator defendant. If the court orders that the debt or any part thereof is due, the amount ordered to be due shall be paid by the escheator, if the escheator has enough of the proceeds of sale remaining to cover the amount, or out of the state treasury, if enough of the proceeds that have been paid into the state treasury still remain in the state treasury, or to the credit of the Literary Fund.
Code 1919, § 516; Code 1950, § 55-195; 2019, c. 712.