In order to claim any unclaimed assets of a deceased party, probate must be conducted and the administrator of the estate needs letters of administration to have the dividends released to the estate for distribution to the legal heirs. This means when opening probate you would have to serve any heirs you know of and you would have to publish the administration in the paper. If there are no known heirs closer than you in line, then the court will order the estate distributed to you as the next legal Heir.

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