Legal Definitions - sobrini

The term sobrini originates from Roman law and refers to individuals who are second cousins to one another. In simpler terms, these are the children of first cousins. They share a common great-grandparent but do not share a common grandparent.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Family Relationships: Imagine a family gathering where two individuals, Emily and David, are discussing their ancestry. Emily's grandmother, Sarah, had a brother named John. John is David's grandfather. This means Sarah and John are siblings, sharing the same parents. Consequently, Emily's mother and David's father are first cousins (children of Sarah and John, respectively). Therefore, Emily and David are second cousins to each other, fitting the definition of sobrini.

  This example demonstrates how the shared great-grandparents (Sarah and John's parents) establish the second cousin relationship between Emily and David.

• Legal Succession and Inheritance: Consider a scenario where a person named Mr. Thompson passes away without a spouse, children, or living first cousins. His will specifies that, in such an event, his estate should be distributed among his "sobrini." This legal instruction would direct the inheritance to his second cousins. For instance, if Maria's mother was Mr. Thompson's first cousin, and Robert's father was also Mr. Thompson's first cousin, then Maria and Robert would be considered Mr. Thompson's sobrini and would inherit according to the will.

  This example illustrates how the term "sobrini" can be used in a legal document like a will to precisely identify a specific class of beneficiaries based on their second cousin relationship.