lawful heirs
Rightful estate recipients
Lawful heirs are those legally entitled to inherit from a deceased person's estate.
The phrase appears in wills, trusts, and property law to designate who receives assets when someone dies: The estate passes to her lawful heirs.
Lawful distinguishes legitimate inheritors—by blood, marriage, or legal adoption—from those with no recognized claim.
- probate lawRules for distributing inheritances
- beneficiaryDesignated asset receiver
- probate courtForum for inheritance disputes
- last willPosthumous asset instructions
- descendantPerson from earlier generations
blood relatives · adopted child · born out of wedlock · line of succession · next of kin · family tree · legatee · grandchild · devisee · inheritance rights · entitlement · sibling · legal standing · inheritance tax · primogeniture · estate planning · estate settlement · spouse
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