When a court decides there is enough reason to believe someone is legally dead, it publishes a public notice in a newspaper once a week for four weeks. If the missing person used to live in or owned property in other counties, the notice gets published there too. The missing person, or someone who knows they are alive, has 12 weeks from the last published notice to show the court proof that the person is still living.
473.703. of finding — time for . — If satisfied, upon such , that the is established, the court shall so declare and it shall cause notice thereof to be published once a week for four weeks, in a newspaper published in the county, and also, if the court shall find that such resided in or was of property located in any county in this or any other state at a time subsequent to his residence in the county in which applications are made, the notice of such publication shall be published in like manner in such other county. Such notice shall require the supposed decedent, if alive, or any other person for him, to produce to the court, within twelve weeks from the date of the last publication thereof, of the fact that he is living; provided, that where publication is made in a daily newspaper, publication for each week after the first shall fall on the corresponding day of the week as did the first publication.
(RSMo 1939 § 266)
Prior revisions: 1929 § 267; 1919 § 266; 1909 § 273
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RSMo 473.700
Issuance of letters, when
RSMo 473.707
Letters of administration for persons absent for five or more years
RSMo 473.697
Revocation of letters, when
RSMo 473.710
Effect of law on reciprocal corporate fiduciaries law
RSMo 473.694
Distributees to give bond before receiving estate
RSMo 473.713
Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.