Section 7603 Of Article 1. Taking Temporary Possession Or Control Of Property From California Probate Code >> Division 7. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 4. >> Article 1.
7603
. (a) A public administrator who is authorized to take
possession or control of property of a decedent pursuant to this
article may issue a written certification of that fact. The written
certification is effective for 30 days after the date of issuance.
(b) The public administrator may record a copy of the written
certification in any county in which is located real property of
which the public administrator is authorized to take possession or
control under this article.
(c) A financial institution, government or private agency,
retirement fund administrator, insurance company, licensed securities
dealer, or other person shall, without the necessity of inquiring
into the truth of the written certification, without requiring a
death certificate, without charge, and without court order or letters
being issued:
(1) Provide the public administrator complete information
concerning property held in the sole name of the decedent, including
the names and addresses of any beneficiaries.
(2) Grant the public administrator access to a safe-deposit box
rented in the sole name of the decedent for the purpose of inspection
and removal of any will or instructions for disposition of the
decedent's remains. Costs and expenses incurred in drilling or
forcing a safe-deposit box shall be borne by the estate of the
decedent.
(3) Surrender to the public administrator any property of the
decedent that, in the sole discretion of the public administrator, is
deemed to be subject to loss, injury, waste, or misappropriation.
(d) Receipt of the written certification provided by this section:
(1) Constitutes sufficient acquittance for providing information
or granting access to the safe-deposit box, for removal of the
decedent's will and instructions for disposition of the decedent's
remains, and for surrendering property of the decedent.
(2) Fully discharges the financial institution, government or
private agency, retirement fund administrator, insurance company,
licensed securities dealer, or other person from any liability for
any act or omission of the public administrator with respect to the
property or the safe-deposit box.