Section 2105.19 | Persons prohibited from benefiting by the death of another.
(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.
Available Versions of this Section
- January 13, 2012 – Senate Bill 124 - 129th General Assembly [ View January 13, 2012 Version ]
- March 22, 2019 – Amended by House Bill 595 - 132nd General Assembly [ View March 22, 2019 Version ]