The condition of dying without a valid will, causing property to be distributed according to state laws rather than the deceased person's wishes. When intestacy occurs, the court appoints an administrator to handle the estate and distribute assets to heirs as determined by statutory succession laws.
From Latin 'intestatus' meaning 'without a will,' combining 'in-' (without) and 'testatus' (having made a will). The term entered English legal vocabulary in the 14th century as courts needed to distinguish between deaths with and without wills.
Here's the twist: dying intestate doesn't mean your family gets nothing—it means the state becomes your will-writer! Each state has detailed 'intestacy statutes' that create a family tree hierarchy, often giving surprising results like a surviving spouse getting only half while distant relatives claim the rest.
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