Legal Definitions - heritable

Heritable refers to something that can be legally passed down to an heir after a person's death, or to a person who is legally entitled to receive such property.

• Example 1: Imagine a historic family home that has been passed down through several generations. When the current owner, Mrs. Chen, passes away, the home is considered heritable property. This means that according to her will or state inheritance laws, the ownership of the house can legally transfer to her children or other designated beneficiaries. The house itself possesses the quality of being able to be inherited.

• Example 2: Mr. Davies, a widower, has specified in his will that his niece, Sarah, is to receive his entire stamp collection. In this scenario, Sarah is considered heritable because she is legally capable of inheriting the stamp collection as per the terms of Mr. Davies's will. She has the legal capacity to receive the inherited property.

• Example 3: A patent for a new technological invention. If the inventor dies, the rights to the patent are heritable. This means that the legal ownership and control over the patent's commercial use can be transferred to the inventor's heirs or estate, who can then continue to benefit from or license the invention. The patent, as intellectual property, is an asset that can be inherited.