Law

Law of Succession (Spr)

Module code: M3020
Level 6
15 credits in spring semester
Teaching method: Lecture, Seminar
Assessment modes: Coursework, Distance exam

The Law of Succession deals with what happens to a person's assets after they die, often reflecting a lifetime of work and saving. This module covers both intestacy (when assets are distributed according to legal rules because there is no will) and the law of wills.

It will explore:

• the modes of transfering inherited wealth and property on death in a social context
• the idea of freedom of testation and the social context in which that principle operates
• the consequences that freedom of testation may have for poverty and the impact that that may have on the State's obligation to alleviate poverty
• whether current laws are sufficient to ensure support for family members and dependents
• probate and the administration of estates.

 

Module learning outcomes

• Understand and offer critical reflections of the rules of intestacy and the administration of the estate of a person who dies without a will.
• Understand and offer critical reflections on the legal rules for making a will, and for the administration of a testator's estate.
• Critically analyse the adequacy of the rules of succession in their social, political and ideological context.
• Carry out independent study and research using a range of legal and social science materials.