(a) Unless an heirship determination which is recognized by the Act already exists, the Project Director shall commence the determination of the heirs of those persons who died entitled to receive compensation by filing with the administrative judge all data, identifying the purpose for which they are being submitted, shown in the records relative to the family of the decedent.

(b) The data shall include but are not limited to:

(1) A copy of the death certificate if one exists. If there is no death certificate, then another form of official written evidence of the death such as a burial or transportation of remains permit, coroner's report, or church registry of death. Secondary forms of evidence of death such as an affidavit from someone with personal knowledge concerning the fact of death or an obituary or death notice from a newspaper may be used only in the absence of any official proof or evidence of death.

(2) Data for heirship finding and family history, certified by the Project Director. Such data shall contain:

(i) The facts and alleged facts of the decedent's marriages, separations and divorces, with copies of necessary supporting documents;

(ii) The names and last known addresses of probable heirs at law and other known parties in interest;

(iii) Information on whether the relationships of the probable heirs at law to the decedent arose by marriage, blood, or adoption.

(3) Known heirship determinations, including those recognized by the Act determining the heirs of relatives of the decedent, and including those rendered by courts from Minnesota or other states, by tribal courts, or by tribunals authorized by the laws of other countries.

(4) A report of the compensation due the decedent, including interest calculated to the date of death of the decedent, and an outline of the derivation of such compensation, including its real property origins and the succession of the compensation to the deceased, citing all of the intervening heirs at law, their fractional shares, and the amount of compensation attributed to each of them.

(5) A certification by the Project Director or his designee that the addresses provided for the parties in interest were furnished after having made a due and diligent search.

[56 FR 61383, Dec. 3, 1991; 56 FR 65782, Dec. 18, 1991]