Legal Definitions - leave no issue

The legal phrase "leave no issue" describes a situation where a person dies without any direct lineal descendants surviving them. This means that at the time of their death, they have no living children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, or any other direct descendants. It's important to understand that a spouse of a deceased child is generally not considered "issue" in this legal context.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Example 1: Estate Planning Without Direct Heirs
  Margaret, a retired professor, passed away at the age of 92. She had never married and did not have any children. Her will stipulated that if she were to "leave no issue," her entire estate should be divided equally between her two nieces. Since Margaret had no children or other direct descendants at the time of her death, she indeed "left no issue." This condition in her will was met, and her estate would therefore be distributed to her nieces as she intended.

• Example 2: Predeceased Descendants
  Arthur had one son, Michael. Tragically, Michael passed away several years before Arthur, and Michael himself had never had any children. When Arthur died, he had no living children or grandchildren. Therefore, legally, Arthur "left no issue." This could significantly impact the distribution of his estate, especially if his will or state intestacy laws prioritize direct descendants.

• Example 3: Contingency in a Trust
  A family trust was established for Benjamin, stating that upon his death, the remaining funds would pass to his "issue." However, the trust also included a clause specifying that if Benjamin were to "leave no issue," the funds would instead be donated to a specific environmental charity. Benjamin lived a long life but never married and never had children. When Benjamin died, he had no children, grandchildren, or other direct descendants. Thus, he "left no issue," and the contingency in the trust was triggered, directing the remaining funds to the environmental charity.