23-1815 Inquest; personal property; discovery on or near body; disposition.
23-1815. Inquest; personal property; discovery on or near body; disposition.When any valuable personal property, money or papers are found upon or near the body upon which an inquest is held, the coroner shall take charge of the same and deliver the same to those entitled to its care or possession. If not claimed, or, if the same shall be necessary to defray expenses of the burial, the coroner shall, after giving ten days' notice of the time and place of sale, sell such property. After deducting funeral expenses, the coroner shall deposit the proceeds thereof, and the money and papers so found, with the county treasurer, taking receipt therefor, there to remain subject to the order of the legal representatives of the deceased, if claimed within five years thereafter, or if not claimed within that time, to vest in the school fund of the county. SourceLaws 1879, § 110, p. 383; R.S.1913, § 5677; Laws 1915, c. 38, § 1, p. 109; C.S.1922, § 5007; C.S.1929, § 26-1516; R.S.1943, § 23-1815; Laws 1979, LB 80, § 77. AnnotationsWhere coroner was sued by administrator of deceased person for value of personal property of deceased sold by coroner, he could set off amount paid for necessary funeral expenses of deceased. Lenderink v. Sawyer, 92 Neb. 587, 138 N.W. 744 (1912), L.R.A. 1915D 948 (1912), Ann. Cas. 1914A 261 (1912).