District of Columbia § 13-341 Service by publication on persons unknown to be living or dead and on unknown heirs and devisees.

District of Columbia Statutes

§ 13-341 — Service by publication on persons unknown to be living or dead and on unknown heirs and devisees.

District of Columbia § 13-341

Title 13Procedure Generally. [Enacted title]

Ch. 3Process and Parties.

Subch. IIService of Process; Legal Representatives.

This text of District of Columbia § 13-341 (Service by publication on persons unknown to be living or dead and on unknown heirs and devisees.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District of Columbia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

D.C. Code § 13-341 (2026).

Text

(a)When a person would be a proper party to a judicial proceeding if living, and upon allegation under oath and proof satisfactory to the court that it is unknown whether he is living or dead, he may be proceeded against as if he were living, and with like effect, if a representative of or claimant under him does not intervene in the action before final determination thereof, after notice by publication as in the case of nonresident parties.

(b)When a person who would have been a proper party to a judicial proceeding is dead, and it is unknown whether he died testate or left heirs, or his heirs and devisees are unknown, the unknown persons may be described as the heirs or devisees of the person who, if living, would be the proper party. Notice shall be given by publication to them accor

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

(a) When a person would be a proper party to a judicial proceeding if living, and upon allegation under oath and proof satisfactory to the court that it is unknown whether he is living or dead, he may be proceeded against as if he were living, and with like effect, if a representative of or claimant under him does not intervene in the action before final determination thereof, after notice by publication as in the case of nonresident parties.

(b) When a person who would have been a proper party to a judicial proceeding is dead, and it is unknown whether he died testate or left heirs, or his heirs and devisees are unknown, the unknown persons may be described as the heirs or devisees of the person who, if living, would be the proper party. Notice shall be given by publication to them according to that description, and the same proceedings shall be had against them as are had against nonresident defendants, except that:

(1) the notice shall be published at least twice a month for such period, not less than three months without good cause shown, as the court orders, and the notice shall require the parties to appear on or before the day fixed in the notice to appear; and

(2) an order, judgment or decree may not be entered against the parties unless the court is satisfied that due diligence has been used to ascertain the unknown heirs.