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Simple English definitions for legal terms
intestacy
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A quick definition of intestacy:
Intestacy: When someone dies without a will, it's called intestacy. This means that the court will decide who gets the person's things. Usually, it's the person's family members who will inherit their things. But, in order to get anything, the family member must still be alive after the person has died.
A more thorough explanation:
Intestacy is when someone dies without a will. This means they did not leave any instructions for how their property and belongings should be distributed after they die. When this happens, the state's intestacy laws will determine who gets what.
For example, if someone dies without a will and they have a spouse and children, their spouse will usually inherit a portion of their assets and their children will inherit the rest. If they have no spouse or children, their assets may go to their parents or siblings.
It's important to note that in order to inherit under intestacy, a person must survive the decedent. This means they must still be alive after the person who died without a will has passed away.