DEPENDENT RELATIVE REVOCATION

dependent  relative  revocation.A  common-law  doctrine  that  operates  to  undo  an  otherwise

sufficient revocation of a will when there is evidence that the testator’s revocation was conditional rather than absolute.  • Typically, the  doctrine applies when a testator  has physically revoked  the

will  and  believes that  a  new  will  is  valid,  although  this  belief  is  mistaken.  The  doctrine  undoes

only  the  revocation; it  does  not always accomplish  the  testator’s  intent  or  validate an  otherwise

invalid  will.  —  Also  termed  dependent-relative-revocation  doctrine;  conditional  revocation;

mistakenly induced revocation; ineffective revocation; doctrine of ineffective revocation. [Cases:

Wills    167–195. C.J.S. Wills §§ 386–428, 1621, 2026, 2030, 2036, 2039–2046, 2057–2062.] [Blacks Law 8th]