P.R. Laws tit. 11, § 13
The Industrial Commission may take cognizance of the proceedings for tutorship in the case of minors and mentally disabled adults covered by this chapter, exclusively as regards payment of the compensations awarded by the Manager.
In cases where it may be necessary to determine the heirs of a deceased workman or employee, the Manager shall give notice thereof to the Secretary of Justice so that before the proper part of the Court of First Instance of Puerto Rico and by the prosecuting attorney thereof, by any law clerk empowered to act as prosecuting attorney, or by any private attorney at the request of an interested party, all the proper steps may be taken until the declaration of heirs of the deceased workman or employee has been obtained in accordance with the provisions of law; Provided, That this kind of proceeding shall be prosecuted with all urgency by the court without the need of being included in the special docket; and Provided, further, That no costs or fees whatever shall be collected by the court or by its officials for the proceedings or the approval of such cases, or for the certificates issued for the use of the Manager or of the Commission. The officials in charge of the vital statistics and civil registers in each municipality shall issue gratis such certificates as may be necessary for the said purpose. In case it should be necessary for the purpose of awarding a compensation to the beneficiaries of the deceased workman or employee, that an action of filiation be instituted, the same procedure shall be followed as that hereinbefore expressed and without payment of fees of any kind.
History —Apr. 18, 1935, No. 45, p. 250, § 12; Apr. 24, 1951, No. 112, p. 242, § 1; renumbered as § 10 on July 1, 1996, No. 63, § 3.