Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Dead's part refers to a portion of a dead person's estate that can be used to pay for mass services or given to the administrator. In the past, this portion ranged from one-third to the entire estate, depending on whether the deceased had a wife and children. The administrator used to keep this portion for himself until a law was passed that made it subject to the statute of distributions. In Scots law, dead's part refers to the part of a dead person's personal estate that can be bequeathed by will or given to the next of kin.
Definition: Dead's part refers to a portion of a deceased person's estate that can be distributed in a specific way. In the past, it was customary to set aside a portion of the estate for mass services or as payment for the administrator. The amount of dead's part varied depending on whether the deceased had a spouse or children. In modern times, dead's part refers to the portion of a person's personal estate that can be disposed of by will or falls upon intestacy to their next of kin.
These examples illustrate how dead's part refers to a specific portion of a deceased person's estate that can be distributed in a particular way. It highlights the importance of having a will to ensure that dead's part is distributed according to the person's wishes.