The term intestate MOST nearly means to die
Question & Answer
Review the question and all answer choices
leaving a will.
A is incorrect because dying 'leaving a will' is the opposite of intestate. When someone dies with a valid will, they are said to have died 'testate,' not intestate. The prefix 'in-' indicates the absence of something, in this case, a will.
without leaving a will.
without leaving an heir.
C is incorrect because intestate specifically refers to the absence of a will, not necessarily the absence of an heir. In fact, intestate succession laws exist precisely to determine who the legal heirs are when no will exists.
leaving property to the state.
D is incorrect because property does not automatically go to the state when someone dies intestate. Instead, state intestacy laws determine which relatives inherit the property, typically starting with spouses and children before moving to more distant relatives.
Why is this correct?
B is correct because 'intestate' specifically means dying without having created a valid will. The prefix 'in-' in this context means 'without,' making 'intestate' the precise term for death without a will, which triggers state intestacy laws for property distribution.
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