DISINHERITANCE
disinheritance,n.1. The act by which an owner of an estate deprives a would-be heir of the
expectancy to inherit the estate. • A testator may expressly exclude or limit the right of a person or
a class to inherit property that the person or class would have inherited through intestate
succession, but only if the testator devises all the property to another. [Cases: Descent and
Distribution 47(2). C.J.S. Descent and Distribution § 53.] 2. The state of being disinherited. See
forced heir under HEIR. — Also termed disherison; disinherison; deherison. — disinherit,vb.
negative disinheritance.The act by which a testator attempts to exclude a person from
inheritance without disposing of the property to another. • Negative disinheritance is ineffective at
common law, although today it may be permitted by statute. [Blacks Law 8th]