Subdivision 1.Failure of heirs or issue.

Unless a different intent is effectively manifested, whenever property is limited upon the death of any person without “heirs” or “heirs of the body” or “issue” general or special, or “descendants” or “offspring” or “children” or any such relative described by other terms, the limitation is to take effect only when that person dies not having such relative living at the time of the person’s death, or in gestation and born alive thereafter, and is not a limitation to take effect upon the indefinite failure of such relatives; nor, unless a different intent is effectively manifested, does the limitation mean that death without such relative is restricted in time to the lifetime of the creator of the interest.

Subd. 2.Alternative future estates.

Terms Used In Minnesota Statutes 500.14

  • Bequest: Property gifted by will.
  • children: includes children by birth or adoption;

    (9) "day" comprises the time from midnight to the next midnight;

    (10) "fiscal year" means the year by or for which accounts are reckoned;

    (11) "hereafter" means a reference to the time after the time when the law containing such word takes effect;

    (12) "heretofore" means a reference to the time previous to the time when the law containing such word takes effect;

    (13) "judicial sale" means a sale conducted by an officer or person authorized for the purpose by some competent tribunal;

    (14) "minor" means an individual under the age of 18 years;

    (15) "money" means lawful money of the United States;

    (16) "night time" means the time from sunset to sunrise;

    (17) "non compos mentis" refers to an individual of unsound mind;

    (18) "notary" means a notary public;

    (19) "now" in any provision of a law referring to other laws in force, or to persons in office, or to any facts or circumstances as existing, relates to the laws in force, or to the persons in office, or to the facts or circumstances existing, respectively, on the effective date of such provision;

    (20) "verified" when used in reference to writings, means supported by oath or affirmation. See Minnesota Statutes 645.45

  • Devise: To gift property by will.
  • Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
  • Life estate: A property interest limited in duration to the life of the individual holding the interest (life tenant).
  • Person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
  • Personal property: All property that is not real property.
  • Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.

Two or more future estates may also be created, to take effect in the alternative, so that if the first in order fails to vest the next in succession shall be substituted for it, and take effect accordingly.

Subd. 3.Probability of contingency.

No future estate, otherwise valid, shall be void on the ground of the probability or improbability of the contingency on which it is limited to take effect.

Subd. 4.Certain remainders vest by purchase.

When a remainder is limited to the heirs, or heirs of the body, of a person to whom a life estate in the same premises is given, the persons who, on the termination of the life estate, are the heirs or heirs of the body of such tenant for life shall be entitled to take as purchasers, by virtue of the remainder so limited to them. No conveyance, transfer, devise, or bequest of an interest, legal or equitable, in real or personal property, shall fail to take effect by purchase because limited to a person or persons, howsoever described, who would take the same interest by descent or distribution.

Subd. 5.Posthumous children as remainderpersons.

When a future estate is limited to heirs, or issue, or children, posthumous children shall be entitled to take in the same manner as if living at the death of their parent.

Subd. 6.Posthumous birth averts “death without issue.”

A future estate, depending on the contingency of the death of any person without heirs or issue or children, shall be defeated by the birth of a posthumous child of such person capable of taking by descent.