(a) If the State Controller believes that a person in another state holds property subject to escheat under this chapter and the courts of this state cannot obtain jurisdiction over that person, the Attorney General of this state may request an officer of the other state to bring an action in the name of this state to enforce the provisions of this chapter against such person.
§ 1575.Request By Attorney General that Another State Bring Action to Enforce Provisions of Chapter
Title 10. Unclaimed Property · Chapter 7. Unclaimed Property Law · Article 6. Compliance and Enforcement · Enacted 1968 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 29, 2026
In one sentenceSection 1575 lets California's Attorney General ask another state's official to sue in California's name against a holder there when California courts can't reach that holder, obligates California to cover the reasonable costs, and allows the Controller to pay a reward of up to 15 percent of any property recovered.
Full Text of § 1575
(b) This state shall pay all reasonable costs incurred by the other state in any action brought under the authority of this section. The State Controller may agree to pay to any state bringing such an action a reward not to exceed fifteen percent of the value, after deducting reasonable costs, of any property recovered for this state as a direct or indirect result of such action. Any costs or rewards paid pursuant to this section shall be paid from the Abandoned Property Account in the Unclaimed Property Fund and shall not be deducted from the amount that is subject to be claimed by the owner in accordance with this chapter.
Plain-English Summary
This section is the flip side of Section 1574. If the Controller believes someone in another state is holding property that should escheat to California, but California's own courts can't get jurisdiction over that person, the Attorney General can ask an official of that other state to file suit there, in California's name, to enforce California's unclaimed property law.
Getting that help costs money, and this section commits California to paying for it: the state covers all reasonable costs the other state incurs bringing the action, and the Controller may also agree to pay that state a reward, capped at 15 percent of the value recovered after costs, as an incentive for pursuing the case. Both the costs and any reward come out of the Abandoned Property Account within the Unclaimed Property Fund, and neither is deducted from what an owner can later claim.
Frequently Asked Questions
When would California ask another state to sue on its behalf?
When the Controller believes a person in that state holds property subject to escheat by California but California's courts can't obtain jurisdiction over that person.
Does the other state get paid for handling the case?
Yes. California pays all reasonable costs the other state incurs, and the Controller may agree to pay a reward of up to 15 percent of the value recovered.
Does paying costs or a reward reduce what an owner can later claim?
No. Section 1575 provides that these payments come from the Abandoned Property Account and aren't deducted from the amount an owner can claim.
Amendment History
Added by Stats. 1968, Ch. 356.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 29, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: reward for recovering unclaimed property another stateabandoned property account pay costs