УДК 347.91/.95:347.65(477)

ORCID: 0000-0003-2086-9179

DOI 10.37566/2707-6849-2023-2(43)-8

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Alexander KUKHARIEV,

professor of the Department of Civil Law and Procedure of the Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs, lecturer at the National School of Judges of Ukraine, member of the Scientific Advisory Council at the Supreme Court, doctor of legal sciences, professor

CURRENT TENDENCIES OF COURT HEARINGS ON RECOGNIZING INHERITANCE AS ESCHEAT

         The article is focused on identifying the peculiarities of recognizing the inheritance as escheat considering the achievements of the legal doctrine, the latest amendments to the legislation of Ukraine and the latest case-law of the Supreme Court. The author has proved the fact that relations arisen about the recognition of inheritance as escheat are not hereditary in nature. Cases on recognizing inheritance as escheat are considered by the court under the general rule in the manner of separate proceedings. Analysis of court case-law demonstrates that there is often a dispute between the territorial community and lawful heirs. This determines the consideration of the claim stated in accordance with the Art. 1277 of the Civil Code of Ukraine within the scope of legal proceedings. It has been emphasized that a prosecutor has the right to appeal the court to declare the inheritance as escheat, if there are grounds for representing the legal interests of the state in court, where one of them is omission of the local self-government agency. Omission of this agency means that it knew or should have known about the violation of the state’s interests, but did not apply to the court within reasonable terms.

The author has noted the need to bring the procedural legislation in line with the latest amendments made to the Articles 1221, 1277 of the Civil Code of Ukraine regarding the terms of jurisdiction in cases on recognizing inheritance as escheat.

The author has analyzed the legal position of the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court set forth in the Resolution dated from December 14, 2022 regarding the protection of the territorial community’s interests in case of alienation of inherited property by a person, who acquired the status of a lawful heir on the basis of a court decision, which was later reversed. It has been substantiated that there is an obligation in the indicated case related to the acquisition and preservation of property without a sufficient legal basis (Chapter 83 of the Civil Code of Ukraine). At the same time, the complaint of the territorial community to claim property from someone else’s illegal possession brought against the last acquirer is not admissible.

Key words: heirless inheritance, escheat of inheritance, succession, ancestor, lawful heirs, territorial community, legal succession.

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