Legal Definitions - Slayer Rule

The Slayer Rule is a fundamental principle in inheritance law that prevents an individual from financially benefiting from a crime by inheriting property or assets from someone they unlawfully and intentionally killed. Essentially, if a person commits a serious and deliberate act that causes another's death, they are legally barred from receiving any assets, benefits, or property from the deceased person's estate.

The law treats the killer as if they had died before their victim. This ensures that the property passes to the next eligible heir or beneficiary, rather than to the perpetrator. This rule applies specifically when the killing was a serious crime committed with intent. While a criminal conviction for murder provides conclusive proof of such an act, a civil court can also determine if the killing was felonious and intentional for the purpose of applying this rule, even if there hasn't been a criminal conviction.

Here are some examples illustrating how the Slayer Rule applies:

• Example 1: Inheritance from a Will
  Michael's will explicitly states that his entire estate should go to his wife, Lisa. However, Lisa intentionally and unlawfully kills Michael. Under normal circumstances, Lisa would inherit everything as per the will.

  How it illustrates the rule: The Slayer Rule would prevent Lisa from inheriting Michael's estate. Despite being named the sole beneficiary in his will, her felonious and intentional act of killing Michael disqualifies her. The law would treat Lisa as if she had predeceased Michael, and his estate would then pass to the next designated heirs, such as his children or other relatives, as if Lisa were no longer alive to inherit.

• Example 2: Life Insurance Policy Beneficiary
  Sarah has a life insurance policy worth $500,000, naming her brother, David, as the sole beneficiary. David, motivated by the desire for the payout, intentionally causes Sarah's death.

  How it illustrates the rule: Despite being the named beneficiary, David would be disqualified from receiving the $500,000 life insurance payout due to the Slayer Rule. The rule prevents him from financially benefiting from his intentional criminal act. The insurance proceeds would typically then go to any contingent beneficiary named in the policy, or if none, to Sarah's estate to be distributed according to her will or state intestacy laws, rather than to David.

• Example 3: Joint Property Ownership
  Aunt Martha and her nephew, Kevin, jointly own a valuable piece of land as "joint tenants with rights of survivorship." This legal arrangement means that if one owner dies, the other automatically becomes the sole owner of the entire property. Kevin, in a fit of anger, intentionally kills Aunt Martha.

  How it illustrates the rule: Ordinarily, Kevin would automatically become the sole owner of the land upon Aunt Martha's death. However, the Slayer Rule would prevent him from acquiring full ownership through his criminal act. Instead, the law would typically "sever" the joint tenancy, treating it as if they held the property as "tenants in common." This means Aunt Martha's half-interest would pass to her own estate (to be distributed to her other heirs), rather than directly and entirely to Kevin.