§ 58-11A-4 — Search procedure upon death of lessee

A. A lessor shall permit the person named in a court order, or if no order has been served upon the lessor, the spouse, parent, an adult descendant or a person named as a personal representative in a copy of a purported will produced by him, to open and examine the contents of a safe deposit box leased by a decedent or any documents delivered by a decedent for safekeeping, in the presence of an officer of the lessor. The lessor, if so requested by that person, may deliver upon execution of a receipt: (1) any writing purported to be a will of the decedent; (2) any writing purported to be a deed to a burial plot or burial instructions to the person making the request for a search; or (3) any document purported to be an insurance policy on the life of the decedent to the person named as a beneficiary in the policy. B. No other contents of a safe deposit box shall be removed pursuant to this section, except as provided in the Probate Code [Uniform Probate Code, 45-1-101 NMSA 1978].

Legislative History

Laws 1991, ch. 51, § 24.