New York Consolidated Laws, Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law - RPA § 1901. Release of rents reserved by leases in perpetuity

1. Any person interested in lands held under a lease in perpetuity, upon which no rent has been paid for at least twenty years, may present his petition to the courts mentioned in this section asking that it be declared that the rents and reversion have been released to the owner of the fee.  Such petition shall be verified, shall describe the lease and allege that the rents and reversion have been released, and shall state such facts as the petitioner can ascertain relative to the execution of a release and the identity of the persons who would otherwise be the present owners of the rents and reversion and the last known owner thereof.

2. Such petition may be presented to the supreme court or to the county court of the county where the lands are situated.  The court may thereupon order all persons interested to show cause at a certain time and place why the rents and reversion should not be declared to have been released.  A description of the lease and lands affected thereby and the name of the last known owner of the rents and reversion shall be specified in such order, and the order shall be published in such newspaper or newspapers and for such time as the court shall direct.  The court may also direct the order to be personally served upon such persons as it shall designate.

3. The court may issue commissions to take the testimony of witnesses and may refer the petition to a referee to take and report proofs of the facts stated in the petition.  Upon being satisfied that the matters alleged in the petition are true, the court may make an order declaring that the rents and reversion have been released to the owner of the fee.  The nonpayment of rent under any such lease for twenty years shall be presumptive evidence of such a release.

4. The entry of such order in the office of the clerk of the county where such lands are situated shall have the same effect as a release of such rents and reversion to such owner then duly executed and recorded.  The county clerk shall note on the margin of the record of the original lease a minute of the entry of such order.