LawWiki
HomeCodesSearchGlossaryAPIAbout
LawWiki

Plain English summaries of California law with zero-hallucination AI. Every summary is verified against official source text.

Product

  • Search
  • Codes
  • About

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Disclaimer

© 2026 LawWiki. All rights reserved.

HomeWelfare and Institutions CodeDiv. 9Pt. 5Ch. 5§ 17402 Indigent Personal Property Disposition

§ 17402 Indigent Personal Property Disposition

Welfare and Institutions Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 17402 Indigent Personal Property Disposition

Key Takeaways

  • •If a poor person dies and leaves stuff worth less than $25, the county can sell it to pay back money the county spent on them.
  • •If the stuff is worth more than $25, the county keeps $25 (or the amount they are owed) and gives the rest to the dead person's family or a legal representative.
  • •The county decides what to do with the stuff or money, but they can't keep more than $25 unless the dead person owed them more.

Example

A person with no money dies, and the county finds their old bike worth $20.

The county can sell the bike and keep the $20 to pay back any money they spent on the person, like medical bills.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 17402 Indigent Personal Property Disposition

If there is in the hands of any officer of the county, or there is surrendered to any officer of the county, upon the death of any indigent person, any personal property of a total of less than twenty-five dollars ($25) in value, belonging to such person, the board of supervisors of the county may, by resolution, order such property to be sold, and if the proceeds thereof do not exceed the sum of twenty-five dollars ($25), they shall be applied to the payment of the claim of the county against such person. If the value of such property or the proceeds received from its sale exceeds the sum of twenty-five dollars ($25), or exceeds the indebtedness due to the county, such property or the proceeds of the sale thereof in excess of twenty-five dollars ($25), or the amount of the claims of the county, shall be delivered to the public administrator of the county or to any other legal representative of the deceased for administration. (Added by Stats. 1965, Ch. 1784.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

resolutionpropertyclaimdeathadministration

Related Statutes

  • § 17400 County Lien Subordination Notice
  • § 17403 County Support Reimbursement Claim
  • § 17405 Property Reconveyance By Board
  • § 17406 Board Of Supervisors Lien Subordination
  • § 17407 Release Of Aid Property Liens

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Welfare and Institutions Code. Section 17402.
View Official Source