N.Y. Banking Law § 31: Index of persons entitled to unclaimed amounts; payment to persons entitled; deduction of service charge

§ 31. Index of persons entitled to unclaimed amounts; payment to

persons entitled; deduction of service charge. An index shall be kept in

the office of the department of the names of all persons for whom the

superintendent holds in trust any unclaimed amounts. The superintendent

may pay over any such amount which he holds in trust amounting to over

three dollars to any person who shall show by evidence satisfactory to

the superintendent that he is lawfully entitled to receive it. In cases

of doubt or conflicting claims, he may require of the claimant an order

of the supreme court authorizing and directing the payment thereof. The

superintendent shall be held harmless and shall not be liable to any

subsequent claimant for any payment made by him in good faith. The

superintendent shall deduct from the amount of any claim of fifty

dollars or more allowed by him or ordered by the court to be paid a

service charge of one percentum of the amount thereof, but in no event

less than one dollar and, in addition, any costs, disbursements and

legal fees which the court may allow. The amount so deducted shall be

paid into the state treasury in accordance with the provisions of

section seventeen of this chapter.