LE MORT SAISIT LE VIF DOCTRINE

le mort saisit le vif doctrine (l<<schwa>> mor se-zee l<<schwa>> veef). [French “the dead seizes the living”] The principle requiring that there be no gap in the possession of a freehold estate in land, so that legal title vests immediately in the heirs upon the death of the person through whom they claim title. • The doctrine does not exclude unknown heirs or heirs absent at the date of death.

[Blacks Law 8th]