New York Consolidated Laws, Abandoned Property Law - ABP § 207. Proceedings on receipt of petition

Prior to the presentation of such petition, the petitioner shall cause to be personally served upon each person who would have succeeded to any interest in said land but for the alienage of such person or another or for any other rule of legal incapacity hereinbefore mentioned affecting an attempted transfer of such interest of such person, and each person in possession or occupation or who has filed a protest under section two hundred ten, whose names and places of residence are known and cause to be published in a newspaper published in each county in which any part of said land is situated, once in each week for three successive weeks as to those whose names and places of residence are unknown, a notice, in form adopted or approved by the commissioner, directed to such persons.  Such notice shall state the date on which such petition shall be filed with the office of general services, the nature of the application, a description of the property affected and the name of the person or persons whose interest or interests shall have escheated to the people of the state of New York.  Such notice shall also provide that any person or persons having a claim or right to said property equal to or superior to the right of the petitioner may file a remonstrance with the said commissioner on or before the date of said filing against the granting of such petition and for the granting of a release to such person or persons.  Proof of service and of publication as aforementioned shall be filed with the petition.  The commissioner may take proof of the facts alleged in said petition, by written or oral evidence, whether or not a sale or release of said property was theretofore made, the value of the property to be released, and such other facts as in his judgment are necessary to determine the matter.  If a remonstrance shall have been presented, the commissioner may take proof of the issues raised thereby and the relief therein asked.  The commissioner may, as a condition of hearing the matter, require the petitioner or any remonstrant to produce witnesses or advance the expense of producing them.