Legal Definitions - intestatus

Definition: Intestatus (in-tes-tay-təs) is a Latin term used in Roman law and early English law to refer to a person who dies without leaving a will.

Example: When John died suddenly, his family discovered that he had not made a will. As a result, he was considered intestatus, and his estate was distributed according to the laws of intestacy.

Explanation: This example illustrates how the term intestatus is used to describe a person who dies without a will. In such cases, the distribution of the person's estate is determined by the laws of intestacy, which vary depending on the jurisdiction and the circumstances of the case.