heir-at-law
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: - The person legally entitled to inherit the property of someone who dies without a valid will: An heir-at-law is determined by the statutes of descent and distribution in a jurisdiction when the deceased (the decedent) has not left a last will and testament. This person is typically the closest surviving blood relative, such as a spouse, child, or parent.
Usage
- The term is used in legal contexts concerning inheritance, estates, and probate law.
- It specifies the recipient of an estate by operation of law, not by the express wishes of the deceased.
Examples
- Noun:
- When the millionaire died intestate, his only son became the heir-at-law and inherited the entire estate.
- The court had to determine the rightful heir-at-law from among the distant cousins.
Advanced Usage
- "To be declared/heir-at-law": To be formally recognized by a court as the legal heir under intestacy laws.
- After a lengthy probate process, she was declared the heir-at-law.
Variants and Related Words
- Heir (n): A more general term for any person who inherits or is entitled to inherit property, either by will or by law.
- Intestate (adj): The condition of dying without having made a valid will.
- Intestacy (n): The state of dying intestate; the rules governing the distribution of an intestate estate.
Synonyms
- Legal heir: A direct synonym often used interchangeably.
- Heir by intestacy: Specifically denotes inheritance due to the absence of a will.
- Next of kin: In legal contexts, this can sometimes refer to the heir-at-law, though it more broadly means closest living blood relative.
Notes on Meaning
- The concept of an heir-at-law is distinct from a beneficiary named in a will. An heir-at-law only inherits if there is no valid will.
- The specific order of who qualifies as an heir-at-law (e.g., spouse before children, children before parents) is defined by statute and varies by jurisdiction.
Noun
- the person legally entitled to inherit the property of someone who dies intestate