Legal Definitions - inordinatus

inordinatus is a historical legal term, originating from Latin, which was used to describe a person who died without having made a valid will. In modern legal language, this situation is referred to as dying intestate. When someone dies inordinatus (or intestate), it means they did not formally "order" or "arrange" the distribution of their property and assets through a legally binding document. Consequently, their estate is not distributed according to their personal wishes, but rather by the specific laws of intestacy in their jurisdiction.

Here are some examples illustrating the concept:

• Example 1: Unexpected Passing Without a Plan
  Mr. Thompson, a single father, passed away suddenly in an accident. He owned a house, a car, and a significant savings account, but he had always postponed creating a will. Historically, Mr. Thompson would have been considered inordinatus. Today, we would say he died intestate. His assets will now be distributed according to the intestacy laws of his state, which would typically ensure his children inherit his estate, but without any specific instructions he might have wanted to include regarding guardians or trusts for their inheritance.

• Example 2: Unfulfilled Charitable Intentions
  Ms. Rodriguez was a passionate advocate for animal welfare and frequently told her friends that she intended to leave a substantial portion of her estate to a local animal shelter. However, she passed away before she could finalize her will. Because Ms. Rodriguez died without a valid will, she was historically inordinatus (and is now considered intestate). Despite her clear verbal intentions, the intestacy laws of her state would likely dictate that her property passes to her closest living relatives, such as siblings or cousins, rather than to the charity she wished to support.

• Example 3: Complications for a Small Business Owner
  Mr. Chen was the sole proprietor of a successful graphic design studio. He had a verbal agreement with his long-time employee, Sarah, that she would take over the business if anything happened to him. However, Mr. Chen died without a will. In this scenario, Mr. Chen died inordinatus. Without a will specifying the succession of his business interests, the intestacy laws would govern the distribution of his business assets. This could lead to complex legal challenges, potentially forcing the sale of the business or its transfer to family members who have no interest or experience in graphic design, rather than to Sarah as he had intended.