CHAPTER 14. Disposition of Unclaimed Money Held by District Attorney or Court Clerk [1420. - 1422.]

Cal. Penal Code - PEN 14.

in effect

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 1420. Section 1420.

All money received by a district attorney or clerk of the court in any criminal action or proceeding, the owner or owners of which are unknown, and which remains unclaimed in the possession of the district attorney or clerk of the court after final judgment in the criminal action or proceeding, shall be deposited with the county treasurer. Upon the expiration of two years after the deposit, the county treasurer shall cause a notice pursuant to Section 1421 to be published in the county once a week for two successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 1421. Section 1421.

The notice shall state the amount of money, the criminal action or proceeding in which the money was received by the district attorney or clerk of the court, the fund in which it is held and that it is proposed that the money will become the property of the county on a designated date not less than 45 days nor more than 60 days after the first publication of the notice.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 1422. Section 1422.

Unless some person files a verified complaint seeking to recover all, or a designated part, of the money in a court of competent jurisdiction within the county in which the notice is published, and serves a copy of the complaint and the summons issued thereon upon the county treasurer before the date designated in the notice, upon that date the money becomes the property of the county and shall be transferred by the treasurer to the general fund.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026