ABSENTEE
Legal Term: ABSENTEE
Definition: One who is away from his domicil, or usual place of residence.
2. After an absence of seven years without being heard from, the presumption of death arises. 2 Campb. R. 113, Hardin"s R. 479, 18 Johns. R. 141 15 Mass. R. 805, Peake"s Ev. c. 14, s. 1, 2 Stark. Ev. 457 8, 4 Barn. & A. 422, 1 Stark. C. 121 Park on Ins. 433, 1 Bl. R. 404, Burr v. Simm, 4 Wh. 150, Bradley v. Bradley, 4 Wh. 173.
3. In Louisiana, when a person possessed of either movable or immovable property within the state, leaves it, without having appointed somebody to take care of his estate, or when the person thus appointed dies, or is either unable or unwilling to continue to administer that estate, then and in that case, the judge of the place where the estate is situated, shall appoint a curator to administer the same. Civ. Code of Lo. art. 50.. In the appointment of this curator the judge shall prefer the wife of the absentee to his presumptive heirs, the presumptive heirs to other relations, the relations to strangers, and creditors to those who are not otherwise interested, provided, however, that such persons be possessed of the necessary qualifications. Ib. art. 51. For the French law on this subject, vide Biret, de l"Absende, Code Civil, liv. l tit.. 4. Fouss. lib. 13 tit. 4, n. 379-487, Merl. Rep. h. t., and see also Ayl. Pand. 269, Dig. 50, 16, 198, Ib. 50, 16, 173, Ib. 3, 3,,6, Code, 7 32 12.
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