A descendant is a person born in a direct biological line. For example, a person's children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren are their descendants. In legal writing, the term "descendant" can have multiple meanings, including those...
wills
descent
Descent means the succession to the estate property by inheritance, or by any act of law. These are the rules of inheritance established by law for cases in which there is no will naming the persons to receive the property of a person who has...
descent and distribution
Descent and distribution refers to the area of law governing how an estate’s assets are disbursed when someone passes away. If a person leaves a valid will, the assets will normally be distributed according to the owner’s wishes, and if not,...
determinable
Determinable generally refers to an interest in a property’s capability of terminating upon the occurrence of a specified event or condition. It is most often used in the context of a fee simple determinable, which is a type of defeasible...
devise
Devise refers to a gift given by means of the will of a decedent of an interest in real property.
[Last updated in August of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]
devisee
A devisee is a person who receives a gift of some interest in real property from a decedent's will.
[Last updated in August of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]
devisor
A devisor is a person who deeds physical property to someone in a will. So, if Britney gives Jessica a house and a car in a will, Britney would be the devisor of the house and car.
[Last updated in July of 2021 by the Wex...
devolve
Devolve is the term used when property is automatically transferred from one party to another by operation of law, without any act of either past or present owner. The most common example of devolve is acquiring property through inheritance...
direct inheritance
Direct inheritance has two meanings that vary depending on the context. First, direct inheritance refers to inheritances that go directly to the heir instead of those going through an intermediary of some form like a trust.
...directive to physicians
A directive to physicians and family (also called living wills, health care directives, and advance directives) are legal mechanisms where an individual can choose to prevent medical personnel from using life sustaining treatments for life-...