escheat

1 of 2

noun

es·​cheat is-ˈchēt 

ish-ˈchēt

1

: escheated property

2

a

: the reversion of lands in English feudal law to the lord of the fee when there are no heirs capable of inheriting under the original grant

b

: the reversion of property to the crown in England or to the state in the U.S. when there are no legal heirs

escheat

2 of 2

verb

escheated; escheating; escheats

transitive verb

: to cause to revert by escheat

intransitive verb

: to revert by escheat

escheatable

is-ˈchē-tə-bəl 

ish-

adjective

Examples of escheat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Links to state escheat offices can be found online at unclaimed.org, the website for the National Assn. of Unclaimed Property Administrators. —Liz Weston, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2024

Michigan had a record $42.8 million in escheat in 2018 — and that number could soar this year, as residents for nearly three months were prohibited from returning bottles and cans because of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's emergency orders in late March related to the COVID-19 pandemic. —Keith Matheny, Detroit Free Press, 12 Aug. 2020

That is the general escheat rule for personal property. —Dallas News, 16 Jan. 2022

Another thing to keep in mind is that escheat doesn't change your tax obligations. —Charles Read, Forbes, 16 Apr. 2021

The state Treasury Department collects unclaimed deposits, known as escheat, with 75% of the money going to the state's Cleanup and Redevelopment Trust Fund and the other 25% returned to retailers. —Keith Matheny, Detroit Free Press, 12 Aug. 2020

Verb

If clinics can’t locate patients and/or the patient is deceased, there are state laws that dictate the course of action (e.g. escheat or unclaimed property laws). —Jeff Gorke, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024

With our present constitutions of government, escheat can never have its feudal sense in the United States. —Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 19 Apr. 2024

In Texas, unlike many other states, unclaimed property does not generally escheat to the state. —Wesley E. Wright, Houston Chronicle, 16 Mar. 2018

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English eschete, from Anglo-French, reversion of property, from escheir to fall, devolve, from Vulgar Latin *excadēre, from Latin ex- + Vulgar Latin *cadēre to fall, from Latin cadere — more at chance

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Legal Definition

escheat

1 of 2 noun

es·​cheat is-ˈchēt 

1

: escheated property

2

: the reversion of property to the state upon the death of the owner when there are no heirs

escheat

2 of 2 transitive verb

: to cause to revert by escheat

intransitive verb

: to revert by escheat

escheatable adjective

Etymology

Noun

Anglo-French eschete reversion of property, from Old French escheoite accession, inheritance, from feminine past participle of escheoir to fall (to), befall, ultimately from Latin ex- out + cadere to fall