§35-12-93. Agreement to locate property.

(a) An agreement by an owner, the primary purpose of which is to locate, deliver, recover, or assist in the recovery of property that is presumed abandoned, is void and unenforceable if it was entered into during the period commencing on the date the property was presumed abandoned and extending to a time that is 24 months after the date the property is paid or delivered to the Treasurer. This subsection does not apply to an owner's agreement with an attorney to file a claim as to identified property or contest the Treasurer's denial of a claim.

(b) An agreement by an owner, the primary purpose of which is to locate, deliver, recover, or assist in the recovery of property, is enforceable only if the agreement is in writing, clearly sets forth the nature of the property and the services to be rendered, states that the property is in custody of the State of Alabama Treasurer's Office, is signed by the apparent owner, states the compensation fee percentage of the value of the amount to be claimed, and states any other compensation to be deducted.

(c) If an agreement covered by this section applies to mineral proceeds and the agreement contains a provision to pay compensation that includes a portion of the underlying minerals or any mineral proceeds not then presumed abandoned, the provision is void and unenforceable.

(d) Total compensation in an agreement covered by this section may not exceed 10 percent of the value of the amount claimed.

(e) This section does not preclude an owner from asserting that an agreement covered by this section is invalid on grounds other than unconscionable compensation. It is the sole responsibility of the owner to enforce this section.

(Act 2004-440, p. 755, §1; Act 2013-91, p. 192, §1.)