Chapter 2105 | Descent And Distribution

Section 2105.01 | No distinction between ancestral and nonancestral or real and personal property.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

In intestate succession, there shall be no difference between ancestral and nonancestral property or between real and personal property.

Section 2105.02 | Construction of living and died.

• Effective: April 6, 2017
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 432 - 131st General Assembly

When, in this chapter, a person is described as living, it means that the person was living at the time of the death of the intestate from whom the estate came and that the person lived for at least one hundred twenty hours following the death of the intestate, and when a person is described as having died, it means that the person died before such intestate or that the person failed to live for at least one hundred twenty hours following the death of the intestate.

Section 2105.03 | Determination of next of kin.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

In the determination of intestate succession, next of kin shall be determined by degrees of relationship computed by the rules of civil law.

Section 2105.04 | Permanent leases to descend same as estates in fee.

• Effective: May 16, 2002
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 242 - 124th General Assembly

Permanent leasehold estates, renewable forever, are subject to Chapter 2105. of the Revised Code.

Section 2105.051 | Advancements - time of valuation.

• Effective: January 13, 2012
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 124 - 129th General Assembly

When a person dies, property that the person gave during the person's lifetime to an heir shall be treated as an advancement against the heir's share of the estate only if declared in a contemporaneous writing by the decedent or acknowledged in writing by the heir to be an advancement. For this purpose, property advanced is valued as of the time the heir came into possession or enjoyment of the property, or as of the time of death of the decedent, whichever occurs first. If the heir does not survive the decedent, the property shall not be taken into account in computing the intestate share to be received by the heir's issue, unless the declaration or acknowledgment provides otherwise.

Section 2105.052 | Debts owed to decedent.

• Effective: January 1, 1976
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 145 - 111th General Assembly

Any debt owed to a decedent shall not be charged against the intestate share of any person except the debtor. If the debtor fails to survive decedent, the debt shall not be taken into account in computing the intestate share of the debtor's issue.

Section 2105.06 | Statute of descent and distribution.

• Effective: March 23, 2015
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 207 - 130th General Assembly

When a person dies intestate having title or right to any personal property, or to any real property or inheritance, in this state, the personal property shall be distributed, and the real property or inheritance shall descend and pass in parcenary, except as otherwise provided by law, in the following course:

(A) If there is no surviving spouse, to the children of the intestate or their lineal descendants, per stirpes;

(B) If there is a spouse and one or more children of the decedent or their lineal descendants surviving, and all of the decedent's children who survive or have lineal descendants surviving also are children of the surviving spouse, then the whole to the surviving spouse;

(C) If there is a spouse and one child of the decedent or the child's lineal descendants surviving and the surviving spouse is not the natural or adoptive parent of the decedent's child, the first twenty thousand dollars plus one-half of the balance of the intestate estate to the spouse and the remainder to the child or the child's lineal descendants, per stirpes;

(D) If there is a spouse and more than one child or their lineal descendants surviving, the first sixty thousand dollars if the spouse is the natural or adoptive parent of one, but not all, of the children, or the first twenty thousand dollars if the spouse is the natural or adoptive parent of none of the children, plus one-third of the balance of the intestate estate to the spouse and the remainder to the children equally, or to the lineal descendants of any deceased child, per stirpes;

(E) If there are no children or their lineal descendants, then the whole to the surviving spouse;

(F) Except as provided in section 2105.062 of the Revised Code, if there is no spouse and no children or their lineal descendants, to the parents of the intestate equally, or to the surviving parent;

(G) Except as provided in section 2105.062 of the Revised Code, if there is no spouse, no children or their lineal descendants, and no parent surviving, to the brothers and sisters, whether of the whole or of the half blood of the intestate, or their lineal descendants, per stirpes;

(H) Except as provided in section 2105.062 of the Revised Code, if there are no brothers or sisters or their lineal descendants, one-half to the paternal grandparents of the intestate equally, or to the survivor of them, and one-half to the maternal grandparents of the intestate equally, or to the survivor of them;

(I) Except as provided in section 2105.062 of the Revised Code, if there is no paternal grandparent or no maternal grandparent, one-half to the lineal descendants of the deceased grandparents, per stirpes; if there are no such lineal descendants, then to the surviving grandparents or their lineal descendants, per stirpes; if there are no surviving grandparents or their lineal descendants, then to the next of kin of the intestate, provided there shall be no representation among the next of kin;

(J) If there are no next of kin, to stepchildren or their lineal descendants, per stirpes;

(K) If there are no stepchildren or their lineal descendants, escheat to the state.

Section 2105.061 | Real property subject to monetary charge of surviving spouse.

• Effective: March 22, 2001
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 152 - 123rd General Assembly

Except any real property that a surviving spouse elects to receive under section 2106.10 of the Revised Code, the title to real property in an intestate estate shall descend and pass in parcenary to those persons entitled to it under division (B), (C), or (D) of section 2105.06 of the Revised Code, subject to the monetary charge of the surviving spouse. The administrator or executor shall file an application for a certificate of transfer as provided in section 2113.61 of the Revised Code, and the application shall include a statement of the amount of money that remains due and payable to the surviving spouse as found by the probate court. The certificate of transfer ordered by the probate court shall recite that the title to the real property described in the certificate is subject to the monetary charge in favor of the surviving spouse and shall recite the value in dollars of the charge on the title to the real property included in the certificate.

Section 2105.062 | Children conceived as result of rape or sexual battery.

• Effective: March 23, 2015
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 207 - 130th General Assembly

As used in this section, "relative" includes a parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, stepparent, child, grandchild, aunt, uncle, cousin, sibling, and half sibling.

The parent, or a relative of the parent, of a child who was conceived as the result of the parent's violation of section 2907.02 or 2907.03 of the Revised Code shall not inherit the real property, personal property, or inheritance of the child or the child's lineal descendants as provided under section 2105.06 of the Revised Code.

Section 2105.07 | Escheat of personal estate.

• Effective: May 16, 2002
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 242 - 124th General Assembly

When, under Chapter 2105. of the Revised Code, personal property escheats to the state, the prosecuting attorney of the county in which letters of administration are granted upon such estate shall collect and pay it over to the county treasurer. Such estate shall be applied exclusively to the support of the common schools of the county in which collected.

Section 2105.08 | Application of provisions relating to escheating estates.

• Effective: May 16, 2002
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 242 - 124th General Assembly

Chapter 2105. of the Revised Code applies to any escheating estate of which possession has not been taken, or which has not been collected by the proper officers of the state or those acting under their authority. Right or claim of the state thereto is hereby relinquished to the person who would have been entitled thereto had such sections been in force when the intestate died.

Section 2105.09 | Disposition of escheated lands.

• Effective: September 29, 2011
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 153 - 129th General Assembly

(A) The county auditor, unless the auditor acts pursuant to division (C) of this section, shall take possession of real property escheated to the state that is located in the auditor's county and outside the incorporated area of a city. The auditor shall take possession in the name of the state and sell the property at public auction, at the county seat of the county, to the highest bidder, after having given thirty days' notice of the intended sale in a newspaper of general circulation in the county or as provided in section 7.16 of the Revised Code.

On the application of the auditor, the court of common pleas shall appoint three disinterested freeholders of the county to appraise the real property. The freeholders shall be governed by the same rule as appraisers in sheriffs' or administrators' sales. The auditor shall sell the property at not less than two thirds of its appraised value and may sell it for cash, or for one-third cash and the balance in equal annual payments, the deferred payments to be amply secured. Upon payment of the whole consideration, the auditor shall execute a deed to the purchaser, in the name and on behalf of the state. The proceeds of the sale shall be paid by the auditor to the county treasurer.

If there is a regularly organized agricultural society within the county, the treasurer shall pay the greater of six hundred dollars or five per cent of the proceeds, in any case, to the society. The excess of the proceeds, or the whole thereof if there is no regularly organized agricultural society within the county, shall be distributed as follows:

(1) Twenty-five per cent shall be paid equally to the townships of the county;

(2) Seventy per cent shall be paid into the state treasury to the credit of the agro Ohio fund created under section 901.04 of the Revised Code;

(3) Five per cent shall be credited to the county general fund for such lawful purposes as the board of county commissioners provides.

(B) The legislative authority of a city within which are lands escheated to the state, unless it acts pursuant to division (C) of this section, shall take possession of the lands for the city, and the title to the lands shall vest in the city. The city shall use the premises primarily for health, welfare, or recreational purposes, or may lease them at such prices and for such purposes as it considers proper. With the approval of the tax commissioner, the city may sell the lands or any undivided interest in the lands, in the same manner as is provided in the sale of land not needed for any municipal purposes; provided, that the net proceeds from the rent or sale of the premises shall be devoted to health, welfare, or recreational purposes.

(C) As an alternative to the procedure prescribed in divisions (A) and (B) of this section, the county auditor, or if the real property is located within the incorporated area of a city, the legislative authority of that city by an affirmative vote of at least a majority of its members, may request the probate court to direct the administrator or executor of the estate that contains the escheated property to commence an action in the probate court for authority to sell the real property in the manner provided in Chapter 2127. of the Revised Code. The proceeds from the sale of real property that is located outside the incorporated area of a city shall be distributed by the court in the same manner as the proceeds are distributed under division (A) of this section. The proceeds from the sale of real property that is located within the incorporated area of a city shall be distributed by the court in the same manner as the proceeds are distributed under division (B) of this section.

Section 2105.10 | Parent abandoning minor child barred from intestate succession.

• Effective: January 13, 2012
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 124 - 129th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Abandoned" means that a parent of a minor failed without justifiable cause to communicate with the minor, care for the minor, and provide for the minor's maintenance or support as required by law or judicial decree for a period of at least one year immediately prior to the date of the death of the minor.

(2) "Minor" means a person who is less than eighteen years of age.

(B) Subject to divisions (C), (D), and (E) of this section, a parent who has abandoned the parent's minor child who subsequently dies intestate as a minor shall not inherit the real or personal property of the deceased child pursuant to section 2105.06 of the Revised Code. If a parent is prohibited by this division from inheriting from the parent's deceased child, the real or personal property of the deceased child shall be distributed, or shall descend and pass in parcenary, pursuant to section 2105.06 of the Revised Code as if the parent had predeceased the deceased child.

(C) Subject to divisions (D) and (E) of this section, a parent who is alleged to have abandoned a child who died as an intestate minor shall be considered as a next of kin or an heir at law of the deceased child only for the following purposes:

(1) To receive any notice required to be given to the heirs at law of a decedent in connection with an application for release of an estate from administration under section 2113.03 of the Revised Code;

(2) To be named as a next of kin in an application for the appointment of a person as the administrator of the estate of the deceased child, if the parent is known to the person filing the application pursuant to section 2113.07 of the Revised Code, and to receive a citation issued by the probate court pursuant to that section.

(D)(1) The prohibition against inheritance set forth in division (B) of this section shall be enforceable only in accordance with a probate court adjudication rendered pursuant to this division.

(2) If the administrator of the estate of an intestate minor has actual knowledge, or reasonable cause to believe, that the minor was abandoned by a parent, the administrator shall file a petition pursuant to section 2123.02 of the Revised Code to obtain an adjudication that the parent abandoned the child and that, because of the prohibition against inheritance set forth in division (B) of this section, the parent shall not be considered to be an heir at law of, and shall not be entitled to inherit the real and personal property of, the deceased child pursuant to section 2105.06 of the Revised Code. That parent shall be named as a defendant in the petition and, whether or not that parent is a resident of this state, shall be served with a summons and a copy of the petition in accordance with the Rules of Civil Procedure. In the heirship determination proceeding, the administrator has the burden of proving, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the parent abandoned the child. If, after the hearing, the probate court finds that the administrator has sustained that burden of proof, the probate court shall include in its adjudication described in section 2123.05 of the Revised Code its findings that the parent abandoned the child and, because of the prohibition against inheritance set forth in division (B) of this section, the parent shall not be considered to be an heir at law of, and shall not be entitled to inherit the real and personal property of, the deceased child pursuant to section 2105.06 of the Revised Code. If the probate court so finds, then, upon the entry of its adjudication on its journal, the administrator may make a final distribution of the estate of the deceased child in accordance with division (B) of this section.

(3) An heirship determination proceeding resulting from the filing of a petition pursuant to this division shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter 2123. of the Revised Code, except to the extent that a provision of this section conflicts with a provision of that chapter, in which case the provision of this section shall control.

(E) If the administrator of the estate of an intestate minor has not commenced an heirship determination proceeding as described in division (D) of this section within four months from the date that the administrator receives the administrator's letters of administration, then that proceeding may not be commenced subsequently, no parent of the deceased child shall be prohibited from inheriting the real or personal property of the deceased child pursuant to division (B) of this section, and the probate of the estate of the deceased child in accordance with section 2105.06 and other relevant sections of the Revised Code shall be forever binding.

Section 2105.11 | Estate to descend equally to children of intestate.

• Effective: January 13, 2012
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 124 - 129th General Assembly

When a person dies intestate leaving children and none of the children of the intestate have died leaving children or their lineal descendants, the estate shall descend to the children of the intestate living at the time of the intestate's death in equal proportions.

Section 2105.12 | Descent when all descendants of equal degree of consanguinity.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

When all the descendants of an intestate, in a direct line of descent, are on an equal degree of consanguinity to the intestate, the estate shall pass to such persons in equal parts, however remote from the intestate such equal and common degree of consanguinity may be.

Section 2105.13 | Descent when children and heirs of deceased children are living.

• Effective: January 13, 2012
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 124 - 129th General Assembly

If some of the children of an intestate are living and others are dead, the estate shall descend to the children who are living and to the lineal descendants of the children who are dead, so that each child who is living will inherit the share to which the child who is living would have been entitled if all the children of the intestate were living, and the lineal descendants of the deceased child will inherit equal parts of that portion of the estate to which the deceased child would be entitled if the deceased child were living.

This section shall apply in all cases in which the descendants of the intestate, not more remote than lineal descendants of grandparents, entitled to share in the estate, are of unequal degree of consanguinity to the intestate, so that those who are of the nearest degree of consanguinity will take the share to which they would have been entitled, had all the descendants in the same degree of consanguinity with them who died leaving issue, been living.

Section 2105.14 | Child conceived before intestate's death.

• Effective: April 6, 2017
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 232, House Bill 432 - 131st General Assembly

N o descendant of an intestate shall inherit under this chapter unless s urviving the intestate for at least one hundred twenty hours, or unless born within three hundred days after the death of the intestate and living for at least one hundred twenty hours after birth.

Section 2105.15 | Designation of heir at law.

• Effective: January 13, 2012
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 124 - 129th General Assembly

A person of sound mind and memory may appear before the probate judge of the person's county and in the presence of the judge and two disinterested persons of that person's acquaintance, file a written declaration declaring that, as the person's free and voluntary act, the person did designate and appoint another, stating the name and place of residence of the other person specifically, to stand toward the person in the relation of an heir at law in the event of the person's death. The declaration shall be attested by the two disinterested persons and subscribed by the declarant. If satisfied that the declarant is of sound mind and memory and free from restraint, the judge shall enter that fact upon the judge's journal and make a complete record of the proceedings. From then on the person designated will stand in the same relation, for all purposes, to the declarant as the person designated could if a child born in lawful wedlock. The rules of inheritance will be the same between the person designated and the relations by blood of the declarant, as if so born. A certified copy of the record will be prima-facie evidence of the fact stated in the record, and conclusive evidence, unless impeached for actual fraud or undue influence. After a lapse of one year from the date of the designation, the declarant may have the designation vacated or changed by filing in that probate court an application to vacate or change the designation of heir; provided that there is compliance with the procedure, conditions, and prerequisites required in the making of the original declaration.

Section 2105.16 | Heirs of aliens may inherit - aliens may hold lands.

• Effective: October 3, 2023
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

No person who is capable of inheriting shall be deprived of the inheritance by reason of any of the person's ancestors having been aliens. Except as provided in section 5301.256 of the Revised Code, aliens may hold, possess, and enjoy real property within this state, either by descent, devise, gift, or purchase, as fully as any citizen of the United States or of this state may do.

Last updated September 20, 2023 at 1:02 PM

Section 2105.17 | Children born out of wedlock.

• Effective: January 1, 1976
• Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 145 - 111th General Assembly

Children born out of wedlock shall be capable of inheriting or transmitting inheritance from and to their mother, and from and to those from whom she may inherit, or to whom she may transmit inheritance, as if born in lawful wedlock.

Section 2105.19 | Persons prohibited from benefiting by the death of another.

• Effective: March 22, 2019
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 595 - 132nd General Assembly

(A) Except as provided in division (C) of this section, no person who is convicted of, pleads guilty to, or is found not guilty by reason of insanity of a violation of or complicity in the violation of section 2903.01, 2903.02, or 2903.03 of the Revised Code or a violation of division (A) of section 2903.04 of the Revised Code that is not a proximate result of a felony violation of section 2903.06 of the Revised Code, or of an existing or former law of any other state, the United States, or a foreign nation, substantially equivalent to a violation of or complicity in the violation of any of these sections, no person who is indicted for a violation of or complicity in the violation of any of those sections or laws and subsequently is adjudicated incompetent to stand trial on that charge, and no juvenile who is found to be a delinquent child by reason of committing an act that, if committed by an adult, would be a violation of or complicity in the violation of any of those sections or laws, shall in any way benefit by the death. All property of the decedent, and all money, insurance proceeds, or other property or benefits payable or distributable in respect of the decedent's death, shall pass or be paid or distributed as if the person who caused the death of the decedent had predeceased the decedent.

(B) A person prohibited by division (A) of this section from benefiting by the death of another is a constructive trustee for the benefit of those entitled to any property or benefit that the person has obtained, or over which the person has exerted control, because of the decedent's death. A person who purchases any such property or benefit from the constructive trustee, for value, in good faith, and without notice of the constructive trustee's disability under division (A) of this section, acquires good title, but the constructive trustee is accountable to the beneficiaries for the proceeds or value of the property or benefit.

(C) A person who is prohibited from benefiting from a death pursuant to division (A) of this section either because the person was adjudicated incompetent to stand trial or was found not guilty by reason of insanity, or the person's guardian appointed pursuant to Chapter 2111. of the Revised Code or other legal representative, may file a complaint to declare the person's right to benefit from the death in the probate court in which the decedent's estate is being administered or that released the estate from administration. The complaint shall be filed no later than sixty days after the person is adjudicated incompetent to stand trial or found not guilty by reason of insanity. The court shall notify each person who is a devisee or legatee under the decedent's will, or if there is no will, each person who is an heir of the decedent pursuant to section 2105.06 of the Revised Code that a complaint of that nature has been filed within ten days after the filing of the complaint. The person who files the complaint, and each person who is required to be notified of the filing of the complaint under this division, is entitled to a jury trial in the action. To assert the right, the person desiring a jury trial shall demand a jury in the manner prescribed in the Civil Rules.

A person who files a complaint pursuant to this division shall be restored to the person's right to benefit from the death unless the court determines, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the person would have been convicted of a violation of, or complicity in the violation of, section 2903.01, 2903.02, or 2903.03 of the Revised Code or a violation of division (A) of section 2903.04 of the Revised Code that is not a proximate result of a felony violation of section 2903.06 of the Revised Code, or of a law of another state, the United States, or a foreign nation that is substantially similar to any of those sections, if the person had been brought to trial in the case in which the person was adjudicated incompetent or if the person were not insane at the time of the commission of the offense.

Section 2105.20 | Waste by tenant for life.

• Effective: October 1, 1953
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 1 - 100th General Assembly

A tenant for life in real property who commits or suffers waste thereto shall forfeit that part of the property, to which such waste is committed or suffered, to the person having the immediate estate in reversion or remainder and such tenant will be liable in damages to such person for the waste committed or suffered thereto.

Section 2105.25 | Filing declaration alleging fatherhood of adult child.

• Effective: October 31, 2001
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 85 - 124th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section and section 2105.26 of the Revised Code:

(1) "Adult child" means a person born in this state who is twenty-three years old or older.

(2) "Genetic test" has the same meaning as in section 3111.09 of the Revised Code.

(B) A man alleging himself to be the father of an adult child, the adult child's mother, and the adult child may appear together before the probate judge of the county in which the man resides and jointly file a declaration stating that the man is the adult child's father and requesting that the court issue an order declaring the man to be the adult child's father. The declaration must state that the adult child's birth certificate does not designate anyone as the adult child's father, the request for the order is made freely and voluntarily by all parties appearing before the court, and genetic test results show the man is the adult child's father. A copy of the birth certificate and the genetic test results must be attached to the declaration.

(C) The man alleging himself to be the adult child's father and the adult child may appear before the court without the adult child's mother and file the declaration if the mother is deceased or has been adjudicated incompetent. If the man alleging himself to be the adult child's father is not a resident of this state, appearance under this section may be made before a probate judge of any county of this state.

Section 2105.26 | Order declaring fatherhood of adult child.

• Effective: October 31, 2001
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 85 - 124th General Assembly

(A) If the probate court determines the following, it shall issue the order requested under section 2105.25 of the Revised Code declaring the man alleging himself to be the father of the adult child to be the adult child's father:

(1) The order was freely and voluntarily requested.

(2) No person is designated as the father on the birth certificate of the adult child.

(3) Genetic test results show that the man is the father of the adult child.

(4) It is in the best interests of the man and adult child that the order be issued.

(B) As part of the order, the court shall order the adult child's birth certificate to be changed to designate the man as the adult child's father.

(C) After issuance of an order under this section, the adult child shall be considered the child of the man declared to be the father as if born to him in lawful wedlock, except that the adult child and the adult child's mother shall not be awarded child support from the man for the time the adult child was a minor.

Section 2105.31 | Uniform simultaneous death act definitions.

• Effective: April 6, 2017
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 432 - 131st General Assembly

As used in sections 2105.31 to 2105.40 of the Revised Code:

(A) "Co-owners with right of survivorship" includes joint tenants, tenants by the entireties, and other co-owners of property or accounts held under circumstances that entitle one or more individuals to the whole of the property or account on the death of the other individual or individuals.

(B) "Governing instrument" means a deed, will, trust, insurance or annuity policy, account with a transfer-on-death designation or the abbreviation TOD, account with a payable-on-death designation or the abbreviation POD, transfer-on-death designation affidavit, pension, profit-sharing, retirement, or similar benefit plan, instrument creating or exercising a power of appointment or a power of attorney, or a dispositive, appointive, or nominative instrument of any similar type.

(C) "Payor" means a trustee, insurer, business entity, employer, government, governmental agency, political subdivision or instrumentality, or any other person authorized or obligated by law or a governing instrument to make payments or transfers.

Section 2105.32 | Person is deemed to have predeceased another person.

• Effective: April 6, 2017
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 432 - 131st General Assembly

(A) Except as provided in section 2105.36 of the Revised Code, if title to property, the devolution of property, the right to elect an interest in property, or the right to exempt property, homestead, or allowance for support depends upon an individual's survivorship of the death of another individual, an individual who is not established by clear and convincing evidence to have survived the other individual by one hundred twenty hours is deemed to have predeceased the other individual.

(B) This section does not apply if its application would result in a taking of an intestate estate by the state.

Section 2105.33 | Person deemed to have predeceased specified event.

• Effective: April 6, 2017
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 432 - 131st General Assembly

Except as provided in section 2105.36 of the Revised Code, an individual who is not established by clear and convincing evidence to have survived an event by one hundred twenty hours is deemed to have predeceased the event for purposes of a provision of a governing instrument that relates to the individual surviving an event, including the death of another individual.

Section 2105.34 | Co-owners with right of survivorship.

• Effective: April 6, 2017
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 432 - 131st General Assembly

Except as provided in section 2105.36 of the Revised Code, the following shall apply:

(A) If it is not established by clear and convincing evidence that one of two co-owners with right of survivorship survived the other co-owner by one hundred twenty hours, one-half of the property or account passes as if one co-owner had survived the other co-owner by one hundred twenty hours, and one-half of the property or account passes as if the other co-owner had survived the one co-owner by one hundred twenty hours.

(B) If there are more than two co-owners with right of survivorship and it is not established by clear and convincing evidence that at least one of the co-owners survived the others by one hundred twenty hours, the property or account passes in the proportion that one co-owner's ownership bears to the ownership of the whole number of co-owners.

Section 2105.35 | Determination and evidence of death and status.

• Effective: April 6, 2017
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 432 - 131st General Assembly

In addition to any provisions of the Rules of Evidence, the following provisions relating to the determination of death and status apply:

(A)(1) An individual is dead if the individual has sustained either irreversible cessation of circulatory and respiratory functions or irreversible cessation of all functions of the brain, including the brain stem, as determined in accordance with accepted medical standards. If the respiratory and circulatory functions of an individual are being artificially sustained, under accepted medical standards a determination that death has occurred is made by a physician by observing and conducting a test to determine that the irreversible cessation of all functions of the brain has occurred.

(2) A physician who makes a determination of death in accordance with division (A) of this section and accepted medical standards is not liable for damages in any civil action or subject to prosecution in any criminal proceeding for the physician's acts or the acts of others based on that determination.

(3) Any person who acts in good faith and relies on a determination of death made by a physician in accordance with division (A) of this section and accepted medical standards is not liable for damages in any civil action or subject to prosecution in any criminal proceeding for the person's actions.

(B) A certified or authenticated copy of a death certificate purporting to be issued by an official or agency of the place where the death of an individual purportedly occurred is prima-facie evidence of the fact, place, date, and time of the individual's death and the identity of the decedent.

(C) A certified or authenticated copy of any record or report of a domestic or foreign governmental agency that an individual is missing, detained, dead, or alive is prima-facie evidence of the status and of the dates, circumstances, and places disclosed by the record or report.

(D) In the absence of prima-facie evidence of death under division (B) or (C) of this section, the fact of death may be established by clear and convincing evidence, including circumstantial evidence.

(E) Except as provided in division (F) of this section, a presumption of the death of an individual arises when either of the following applies:

(1) The individual has disappeared and has been continuously absent from the individual's place of last domicile for a five-year period without being heard from during the period;

(2) The individual has disappeared and has been continuously absent from the individual's place of last domicile without being heard from and was at the beginning of the individual's absence exposed to a specific peril of death, even though the absence has continued for less than a five-year period.

(F) When an individual who is on active duty in the armed services of the United States has been officially determined to be absent in a status of "missing" or "missing in action," a presumption of death arises when the head of the federal department concerned has made a finding of death pursuant to the "Federal Missing Persons Act," 80 Stat. 625 (1966), 37 U.S.C.A. 551, as amended.

(G) In the absence of evidence disputing the time of death stipulated on a document described in division (B) or (C) of this section, a document described in either of those divisions that stipulates a time of death of an individual one hundred twenty hours or more after the time of death of another individual, however the time of death of the other individual is determined, establishes by clear and convincing evidence that the individual survived the other individual by one hundred twenty hours.

Section 2105.36 | Provisions of governing instrument.

• Effective: April 6, 2017
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 432 - 131st General Assembly

Survival by one hundred twenty hours is not required if any of the following applies:

(A) The governing instrument contains language dealing explicitly with simultaneous deaths or deaths in a common disaster, and that language is operable under the facts of the case.

(B) The governing instrument expressly indicates that an individual is not required to survive an event, including the death of another individual, by any specified period, or expressly requires the individual to survive the event for a specified period, but the survival of the event for the specified period shall be established by clear and convincing evidence.

(C) The imposition of a one-hundred-twenty-hour requirement of survival would cause a nonvested property interest or a power of appointment to be invalid under section 2131.08 of the Revised Code, but the survival shall be established by clear and convincing evidence.

(D) The application of a one-hundred-twenty-hour requirement of survival to multiple governing instruments would result in an unintended failure or duplication of a disposition, but the survival shall be established by clear and convincing evidence.

Section 2105.37 | Payor or third party not liable.

• Effective: April 6, 2017
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 432 - 131st General Assembly

(A) A payor or other third party is not liable for any of the following:

(1) Having made a paymentor transferred an item of property or any other benefit to a person designated in a governing instrument who, under sections 2105.31 to 2105.40 of the Revised Code, is not entitled to the payment or item of property or other benefit, if the payment or transfer was made before the payor or other third party received written notice of a claimed lack of entitlement under those sections;

(2) Having taken any other action in good faith reliance on the person's apparent entitlement under the terms of the governing instrument before the payor or other third party received written notice of a claimed lack of entitlement under sections 2105.31 to 2105.40 of the Revised Code.

(B) A payor or other third party is liable for a payment, transfer, or other action taken after the payor or other third party receives written notice of a claimed lack of entitlement under sections 2105.31 to 2105.40 of the Revised Code.

(C) Written notice of a claimed lack of entitlement under division (A) or (B) of this section shall be mailed to the payor's or other third party's main office or home by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, or served upon the payor or other third party in the same manner as a summons in a civil action. Upon receipt of written notice of a claimed lack of entitlement under sections 2105.31 to 2105.40 of the Revised Code, a payor or other third party may pay any amount owed or transfer or deposit any item of property held by it to or with the probate court that has jurisdiction over the decedent's estate. If no probate proceedings have been commenced, upon receipt of written notice of a claimed lack of entitlement under sections 2105.31 to 2105.40 of the Revised Code, a payor or other third party may pay any amount owed or transfer or deposit any item of property held by it to or with the probate court located in the county of the decedent's residence. The court shall hold the funds or items of property, and upon its determination under sections 2105.31 to 2105.40 of the Revised Code to whom the funds or items of property should be disbursed, shall order disbursement in accordance with its determination. Payments, transfers, or deposits made to or with the court discharge the payor or other third party from all claims for the value of amounts paid to or items of property transferred to or deposited with the court.

(D) A person who purchases property for value or receives a payment or other item of property or benefit in partial or full satisfaction of a legally enforceable obligation, and without notice that the person selling or transferring the property or benefit or making a payment is not entitled to the property or benefit under sections 2105.31 to 2105.40 of the Revised Code, is neither obligated under those sections to return the payment or item of property or benefit nor liable under those sections for the amount of the payment or the value of the item of property or benefit.

(E) A person who, not for value, receives a payment, item of property, or any other benefit to which the person is not entitled under sections 2105.31 to 2105.40 of the Revised Code is obligated to return the payment, item of property, or benefit, or is personally liable for the amount of the payment or the value of the item of property or benefit, to the person who is entitled to it under sections 2105.31 to 2105.40 of the Revised Code.

(F) If sections 2105.31 to 2105.40 of the Revised Code or any provision of those sections are preempted by federal law with respect to a payment, an item of property, or any other benefit covered by those sections, a person who, not for value, receives the payment, item of property, or other benefit to which the person is not entitled under sections 2105.31 to 2105.40 of the Revised Code is obligated to return the payment, item of property, or benefit, or is personally liable for the amount of the payment or the value of the item of property or benefit, to the person who would have been entitled to it were sections 2105.31 to 2105.40 of the Revised Code or any provision of those sections not preempted.

Section 2105.38 | Retroactivity.

• Effective: April 6, 2017
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 432 - 131st General Assembly

(A) Sections 2105.31 to 2105.40 of the Revised Code do not impair any act done in any proceeding, or any right that accrued, before the effective date of the amendment of this section. If a right is acquired, extinguished, or barred upon the expiration of a prescribed period of time that has commenced to run, prior to the effective date of the amendment of this section, under any provision of the Revised Code, the provision of the applicable section of the Revised Code applies with respect to that right.

(B) Any rule of construction regarding any provision of a governing instrument that is provided in sections 2105.31 to 2105.40 of the Revised Code applies to any governing instrument that is executed prior to the effective date of the amendment of this section, unless there is a clear indication of a contrary intent in the governing instrument.

Section 2105.39 | Uniformity of laws.

• Effective: April 6, 2017
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 432 - 131st General Assembly

Sections 2105.31 to 2105.40 of the Revised Code shall be applied and construed to effectuate their general purpose to make uniform the law with respect to the subject of those sections among the states enacting the law.

Section 2105.40 | Citation.

• Effective: April 6, 2017
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 432 - 131st General Assembly

Sections 2105.31 to 2105.40 of the Revised Code may be cited as the uniform simultaneous death act.