Connecticut General Statutes

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-321 (2026)

(Formerly Sec. 45-252). Custody of real property. Products and income of real property. Family may occupy homestead

✓ current as of May 2026

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(a) The fiduciary of a decedent's estate shall, during settlement, have the possession, care and control of the decedent's real property, and all the products and income of such real property during such time shall vest in the fiduciary as personal property, unless such real property has been specifically devised or directions have been given by the decedent's will which are inconsistent with this section; but the court may order surrender of the possession and control of such real property to the heirs or devisees, or may, during settlement, order distribution of such real property.

(b) The family of the decedent shall be allowed to remain in the dwelling house occupied by him at the time of his death, and may occupy such land and buildings connected therewith as the court considers necessary for their convenience and comfort until the same is sold, distributed or otherwise disposed of according to law.

(1949 Rev., S. 7035; P.A. 80-476, S. 298.)

History: P.A. 80-476 divided section into Subsecs., rephrased provisions, substituted “real property” for “real estate” and reference to fiduciaries for reference to executors and administrators and deleted provision which prohibited construing provisions “so as to deprive a husband, being tenant by courtesy, of the possession, care and control of the real estate of his deceased wife, nor of the rents, income and products thereof, during the settlement of the estate”; Sec. 45-252 transferred to Sec. 45a-321 in 1991.

Annotations to former section 45-252:

Executor has, under statute, same control of real estate, not specifically devised, during settlement of estate and same title to it that he has of the personal estate. 34 C. 66, 67. All rents and income vest in executor in same manner as personal property for the benefit of parties entitled to it. 44 C. 516, 517. Executor's right not affected by decree limiting time for redemption. 46 C. 453. Provision regarding right of occupancy by family of decedent is to protect right of tenant by the curtesy. 52 C. 423; 67 C. 276. Tenant of administrator cannot set off debt due from intestate against rent. 53 C. 502. Cited. 65 C. 227. Right of administrator to maintain suits as to lands. 75 C. 662; 79 C. 493; Id., 685; 85 C. 698. But heir may enter and protect lands from disseizors. 84 C. 569. Administrator's right ceases when final account settling estate is allowed. 77 C. 376; 78 C. 517. Land specifically devised excepted. 81 C. 224; 85 C. 567. Administrator may hold possession as cotenant. 81 C. 446. Any lease by an administrator or executor is valid only until final settlement of estate. 93 C. 709; 103 C. 234. Who is included in term “family”. Id., 235. Whether administrator or executor should lease or otherwise render real estate in his hands productive depends on all circumstances-test is reasonable prudence. Id., 232. Cited. 127 C. 168. Devisee of absolute estate subject to conditional limitation is entitled to possession on settlement of estate. 129 C. 352. Notice by lessee to administrator of intention to exercise option to renew lease does not bind heirs. 130 C. 304. Cited. Id., 682. Where no allegation was made that realty in question was needed to meet claims against estate, there could be no occasion to permit exercise of plaintiff executors' power under statute. 159 C. 371, 376.

Cited. 7 CA 522.

Cited. 5 CS 231; 11 CS 43. An administrator may not maintain an action to recover real property conveyed by his decedent as a result of fraud unless the property is required for debts or administration of the estate. Id., 72. Rents and profits from real estate regarded as incident to it and to go to the benefit of the persons entitled to the real estate. 12 CS 13.

Cited. 3 Conn. Cir. Ct. 275.

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Notes of Decisions

Cited in 9 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 2001–2026 · leading case: LaFlamme v. Dallessio, 802 A.2d 63 (Conn. 2002).

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LaFlamme v. Dallessio, 802 A.2d 63 (Conn. 2002). · cites it 21× “Therefore, the issue in this appeal is governed by General Statutes § 45a-321 (a), 2 which provides in relevant part: “The fiduciary of a decedent’s estate shall, during settlement, have the possession, care and control of the decedent’s real property .”

LaFlamme v. Dallessio, 781 A.2d 482 (Conn. App. Ct. 2001). · cites it 29× “The plaintiff also argues that the decedent did not specifically devise the subject premises in his will and that General Statutes § 45a-321 (a) 2 created a duty in the defendant as a fiduciary.”

Bender v. Bender, 975 A.2d 636 (Conn. 2009). · cites it 4× “It also is well settled, however, that an executor has possession and control of a decedent’s real property in the course of administering and settling the estate; General Statutes § 45a-321 (a); 22 *722 and this possession relates back to the time of the decedent’s death.”

Scott v. Heinonen, 985 A.2d 358 (Conn. App. Ct. 2009). · cites it 6× “General Statutes § 45a-321 governs the custody of real property following an owner’s death.”

Adamo v. Adamo, 1 A.3d 221 (Conn. App. Ct. 2010). · cites it 2× “The defendant sought reimbursement for, among other things, replenishing the heating oil, replacement light bulbs, interior and exterior painting costs, refinishing floors, gravel for the driveway, costs for landscaping and gutter cleaning, along with those items for which he…”

Wooden v. Perez, 210 Conn. App. 303 (Conn. App. Ct. 2022). · cites it 7× “Moreover, and as correctly pointed out by the defendant, [although] General Statutes § 45a-321 (a) provides that the fiduciary of an estate ‘shall, during settlement, have the possession, care and control of the decedent’s [real] property’, it also contains the relevant…”

Connelly v. Fed. Nat. Mortg. Ass'n, 251 F. Supp. 2d 1071 (D. Conn. 2003). “45a-321 conferred upon him an interest in 55 Maple that was not extinguished in the foreclosure action due to mortgagee Wendover's withdraw of the action as to Executor prior to entry of judgment.”

Connelly v. Fed. Nat'l Mortg. Ass'n, 251 F. Supp. 2d 1071 (D. Conn. 2003). “45a-321 conferred upon him an interest in 55 Maple that was not extinguished in the foreclosure action due to mortgagee Wend-over’s withdraw of the action as to Executor prior to entry of judgment.”

Taylor v. Taylor (Conn. App. Ct. 2026). “As coadministrators [of his estate], the [plaintiffs] have authority pursuant to [General Statutes] § 45a-321 for possession, care and control of the property, thereby granting them standing to bring this application.”

Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.