DEVISE

devise  (di-vIz),  n.  1.  The  act  of  giving  property  by  will.  •  Although  this term  traditionally

referred to gifts of real property — and in British usage the term is still confined to real property

—  in  American  usage  the  term  has  been  considerably  broadened.  In  both  the  Restatement  of

Property and the Uniform Probate Code, a disposition of any property by will is a devise. In the

United  States  today,  it  is  pedantry  to  insist  that  the  noun  devise  be  restricted  to  real  property.

[Cases: Wills    1. C.J.S. Wills §§ 1, 3, 174.] 2. The provision in a will containing such a gift. 3.

Property  disposed  of  in  a  will.  4.  A  will  disposing  of  property.  Cf.  TESTAMENT(1).  Cf.

BEQUEST; LEGACY. — devise,vb.

alternative devise.A  devise that, under the terms of the  will, is designed to displace another

devise   if   one   or   more   specified   events   occur.   —   Also   termed   secondary   devise.   See

younger-generation devise.

conditional devise.A devise that depends on the occurrence of some uncertain event. [Cases:

Wills    639–668. C.J.S. Wills §§ 1380–1424.]

demonstrative  devise.A  devise,  usu.  of a specific amount of  money  or quantity  of  property,

that  is  primarily  payable  from  a  designated  source,  but  that  may  be  payable  from  the  estate’s

general assets if the designated property is insufficient. See Restatement (Third) of Property: Wills

and Other Donative Transfers § 5.1 (1999). Cf. pecuniary devise.

executory  devise.An  interest  in  land,  created  by  will,  that  takes  effect  in  the  future  and

depends on a future contingency; a limitation, by will, of a future estate or interest in land when

the  limitation  cannot,  consistently  with  legal  rules,  take  effect  as  a  remainder.  •  An  executory

devise,  which  is  a  type  of  conditional  limitation,  differs  from  a  remainder  in  three  ways:  (1)  it

needs no particular estate to support it, (2) with it a fee simple or lesser estate can be limited after

a fee simple, and (3) with it a remainder can be limited in a chattel interest after a particular estate

for life is created in that interest. See conditional limitation under LIMITATION. [Cases: Wills    7.

C.J.S. Wills §§ 58, 63–64, 68.]

“The reason of the institution of the executory devise was to support the will of the testator;

for when it was evident that he intended a contingent remainder, and when it could not operate as

such by the rules of law, the limitation was then, out of indulgence to wills, held to be good as an

executory devise. They are not mere possibilities, but certain and substantial interests and estates,

and are put under such restraints only as have been deemed requisite to prevent the mischiefs of

perpetuities,  or  the  existence of  estates that  were unalienable.”  4 James Kent, Commentaries  on

American Law *264 (George Comstock ed., 11th ed. 1866).

failed devise.See lapsed devise.

general devise. 1. A devise, usu. of a specific amount of money or quantity of property, that is

payable  from  the  estate’s  general  assets.  See  Restatement  (Third)  of  Property:  Wills  and  Other

Donative  Transfers §  5.1  (1999).  2.  A  devise  that  passes  the  testator’s  lands without specifically

enumerating or describing them. [Cases: Wills    583. C.J.S. Wills §§ 1090, 1105.]

lapsed  devise.A  devise  that  fails because  the  devisor  outlives the  named  recipient. —  Also

termed failed devise; failed gift.

pecuniary devise.A demonstrative devise consisting of money. Cf. demonstrative devise.

primary  devise.A  devise  to  the  first  person  named  as  taker.  •  For  example,  a  devise  of

“Blackacre to A, but if A does not survive me then to B” names A as the recipient of the primary

devise and B as the recipient of the secondary or alternative devise.

residuary devise.A  devise  of the remainder  of the testator’s property left after other specific

devises are taken. [Cases: Wills    586. C.J.S. Wills §§ 1176–1179, 1184.]

secondary devise.See alternative devise.

specific devise.A devise that passes a particular piece of property. [Cases: Wills    751. C.J.S.

Wills §§ 1662, 1667–1677, 1679–1683.]

younger-generation devise.An alternative devise to a descendant of the recipient of a primary

devise. Unif. Probate Code § 2–603. • A devise of “Blackacre to A, but if A does not survive me

then  to  A’s  child  B”  creates  a  younger-generation  devise  in  A’s  descendant,  B.  See  alternative

devise,vb. To give (property) by will.

“The modern convention which sets apart ‘devise’ for ‘realty’ and ‘bequeath’ for ‘personalty’

is  modern;  in  the  middle  ages,  the  English  word  …  is  the  equivalent  of  the  French  word.”  2

Frederick  Pollock  &  Frederic  W.  Maitland,  The  History  of  English  Law  Before  the  Time  of

Edward I 338 (2d ed. 1899). [Blacks Law 8th]