Legal Definitions - ancillary

The term ancillary describes something that is secondary, supplementary, or subordinate to a primary matter or main event. It supports or is dependent on the principal item, rather than being the main focus itself.

• Example 1: Estate Administration

  Imagine a person who lived and died in New York, where most of their assets (bank accounts, primary residence) are located. However, they also owned a small vacation cabin in Vermont. The primary legal process for distributing their estate will occur in New York. To legally transfer ownership of the Vermont cabin, a separate, smaller probate proceeding might be required in Vermont. This Vermont proceeding would be considered ancillary probate.

  This illustrates ancillary because the Vermont probate is secondary and dependent on the main probate in New York. It exists solely to address the out-of-state asset, supporting the overall administration of the estate.

• Example 2: Business Transactions

  A large manufacturing company enters into a primary contract to sell a significant quantity of specialized machinery to a client. As part of the overall deal, they also offer additional services like installation, staff training on how to operate the machinery, and a maintenance package. These additional services are referred to as ancillary services.

  Here, the installation, training, and maintenance are ancillary because they are supplementary to the main transaction (the sale of the machinery). While important for the client's successful use of the machinery, they are not the primary product being sold.

• Example 3: Court Orders

  A court issues a primary judgment in a divorce case, ordering the division of marital assets and establishing child custody. In addition to these main rulings, the court might also issue an order for one party to pay for the children's health insurance or college tuition. These additional financial obligations could be considered ancillary relief.

  These financial orders are ancillary because they are secondary to the main divorce judgment. They support and flow from the primary decision, ensuring that the overall goals of the divorce settlement (such as the well-being of the children) are met.