Under what circumstance might property escheat to the state or county?

Property escheat occurs when the ownership of property reverts to the state or county, typically when there are no legal heirs or claims to the property. The specific circumstance where property may escheat is when it is abandoned for a period prescribed by law. This abandonment indicates that the owner has voluntarily relinquished possession and cannot be located, thereby allowing the state to take ownership of the property.

In legal terms, each jurisdiction has defined a specific duration during which property must be unclaimed or abandoned before escheat rules apply. This process helps ensure that unused land or unclaimed property is allocated in a way that benefits the public, rather than remaining idle or falling into legal limbo.

Auction, title disputes, and liens do not lead to escheat. Selling property at auction involves a transaction where ownership is transferred, while clear title disputes suggest ownership issues that typically need to be resolved before any escheat could take place. Liens are claims against the property and indicate that while ownership remains, there is a debt obligation attached. Therefore, the correct context for escheat is when the property has been abandoned for a legally specified duration.