Legal Definitions - half niece

A half niece is the daughter of one's half-brother or half-sister. A half-brother or half-sister is a sibling who shares only one biological parent (either the mother or the father) with you, rather than both. Therefore, a half niece is related through a sibling who shares only one parent with you.

• Example 1: After Mark's parents divorced, his father remarried and had a daughter named Lisa. Lisa is Mark's half-sister. Years later, Lisa has a daughter named Maya.

  Explanation: Maya is Mark's half niece because she is the daughter of Lisa, who is Mark's half-sister (they share the same father but have different mothers).

• Example 2: Sarah's mother had a son, Daniel, from a previous relationship before marrying Sarah's father. Daniel is Sarah's half-brother. Daniel eventually has a daughter named Chloe.

  Explanation: Chloe is Sarah's half niece because she is the daughter of Daniel, who is Sarah's half-brother (they share the same mother but have different fathers).

• Example 3: In a family tree for estate planning, a lawyer is mapping out beneficiaries. The deceased, Mr. Peterson, had a full sister, Eleanor, who had a daughter named Grace. Mr. Peterson also had a half-brother, Thomas (they shared the same mother), who had a daughter named Sophia.

  Explanation: While Grace is Mr. Peterson's full niece, Sophia is his half niece. She is the daughter of his half-brother, Thomas, establishing a familial link that might be relevant for inheritance or other legal purposes, depending on the specific terms of a will or trust.