N.Y. Surrogate's Court Procedure Act § 2113: Proof or probate of heirship 1

§ 2113. Proof or probate of heirship

1. Where a person seized in fee of real property within the state

dies intestate or without devising his real property, his distributees

or any of them or any person deriving title from or through such

distributees or any of them may present either to the court which has

jurisdiction of the estate or to the court of a county where the real

property or any part thereof is situated, a petition describing the

property and showing the interest or share of the petitioner and of each

distributee of the decedent in the property and praying for a decree

establishing the right of inheritance thereto and that all the

distributees of the decedent be required to show cause why the prayer of

the petition should not be granted. Process must issue accordingly.

2. Upon the return of process the court must hear the allegations and

proofs of the parties and determine the issues raised. The petitioner

must establish

(a) The fact of the decedent's death.

(b) His domicile at the time thereof.

(c) His intestacy, either generally or as to the real property.

(d) His distributees entitled to inherit the property.

(e) The name, age, domicile and relationship to the decedent, of

each, and

(f) The interest or share of each in the property.

3. The decree determining the issues shall be recorded by the

petitioner in the office of the county clerk or the register, as the

case may be, of each county in which the real property is situate, as

prescribed by law for recording a deed.