22 CFR § 72.24 - Conflicting claims.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t22/s72.24"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "22 CFR § 72.24 - Conflicting claims."
title_number: 22
title_name: "Foreign Relations"
section_number: "72.24"
section_name: "Conflicting claims."
chapter_name: "DEPARTMENT OF STATE"
subchapter_number: "H"
subchapter_name: "PROTECTION AND WELFARE OF AMERICANS, THEIR PROPERTY AND ESTATES"
part_number: "72"
part_name: "DEATHS AND ESTATES"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "22 U.S.C. 2715, 2715b, 2715c, 4196, 4197, 4198, 4199."
regulatory_source: "72 FR 8889, Feb. 28, 2007, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "72"
---


# 72.24 Conflicting claims.

Neither the consular officer nor the Department of State has the authority or responsibility to mediate or determine the validity or order of contending claims to the personal estate of a deceased United States citizen or non-citizen national. If rival claimants, executors or administrators demand the personal estate in the consular officer's possession, the officer should not release the estate to any claimant until a legally binding agreement in writing has been reached or until the dispute is settled by a court of competent jurisdiction, and/or the Department has approved the release.