Penal Code section 5062

Whenever any person confined in any state institution subject to the jurisdiction of the Director of Corrections escapes, or is discharged or paroled from that institution, and any personal funds or property of that person remains in the hands of the Director of Corrections, and no demand is made upon the director by the owner of the funds or property or his or her legally appointed representative, all money and other intangible personal property of the person, other than deeds, contracts, or assignments, remaining in the custody or possession of the director shall be held by him or her for a period of three years from the date of that escape, discharge, or parole, for the benefit of that person or his or her successors in interest.
Upon the expiration of the three-year period, any money and other intangible personal property, other than deeds, contracts, or assignments, remaining unclaimed in the custody or possession of the director shall be subject to Article 1 (commencing with Section 1500) of Chapter 7 of Title 10 of Part 3 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
Upon the expiration of one year from the date of that escape, discharge, or parole:

(a)

All deeds, contracts, or assignments shall be filed by the director with the public administrator of the county of commitment of that person.

(b)

All tangible personal property other than money, remaining unclaimed in his or her custody or possession, shall be sold by the director at public auction, or upon a sealed-bid basis, and the proceeds of the sale shall be held by him or her subject to Section 5008 and subject to Article 1 (commencing with Section 1500) of Chapter 7 of Title 10 of Part 3 of the Code of Civil Procedure. If he or she deems it expedient to do so, the director may accumulate the property of several inmates and may sell the property in lots as he or she may determine, provided that he or she makes a determination as to each inmate’s share of the proceeds.
If any tangible personal property covered by this section is not salable at public auction or upon a sealed-bid basis, or if it has no intrinsic value, or if its value is not sufficient to justify its retention by the director to be offered for sale at public auction or upon a sealed-bid basis at a later date, the director may order it destroyed.

Source: Section 5062, https://leginfo.­legislature.­ca.­gov/faces/codes_displaySection.­xhtml?lawCode=PEN§ionNum=5062.­ (updated Jan. 1, 1993; accessed Jun. 23, 2025).

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Verified:
Jun. 23, 2025

§ 5062's source at ca​.gov