Heir-at-law (Noun)
Meaning
The person legally entitled to inherit the property of someone who dies intestate.
Classification
Nouns denoting people.
Examples
- The court determined that the deceased's nephew was the heir-at-law and therefore entitled to inherit the entire estate.
- As the heir-at-law, the deceased's daughter was responsible for settling her mother's estate and paying off outstanding debts.
- The will was deemed invalid, making the deceased's son the heir-at-law and sole beneficiary of the estate.
- The heir-at-law was required to pay a significant amount of taxes on the inherited property before taking possession.
- After the deceased's spouse passed away, the heir-at-law, a distant cousin, came forward to claim the estate.