Welcome to the MedLibrary.org Wikipedia Supplement on Acts of independent significance -- Please Click to Return to Front Page

Wills, trusts and estates

Part of the common law series

Wills

Wills (legal history) Joint wills and mutual wills Will contract · Codicil Holographic will · Oral will

Sections Attestation clause Residuary clause Incorporation by reference

Contest Testamentary capacity Undue influence Insane delusion · Fraud

Property disposition Lapse and anti-lapse Ademption · Abatement Acts of independent significance Elective share Pretermitted heir

Trusts

Express · Constructive Resulting

Common types Bare · Discretionary Accumulation and Maintenance Interest in possession Charitable · Purpose · Incentive

Other types Protective · Spendthrift Life insurance · Remainder Life interest Reversionary interest Honorary · Asset-protection Special needs (Supplemental Needs)

Governing doctrines Pour-over will Cy-près doctrine

Estate administration

Intestacy · Testator · Probate Power of appointment Simultaneous death · Slayer rule Disclaimer of interest

Related topics

Living will (advance directives) Totten trust

Other common law areas

Contract · Tort · Property Criminal law · Evidence

v • d • e

The doctrine of acts of independent significance, in the common law of wills, permits the testator to effectively change the disposition of her property without changing her will, if acts or events with relation to the property itself have some significance beyond avoiding the requirements of the will.

The doctrine is most frequently applied in two circumstances:

1. The testator devises property to a class of beneficiaries where the testator controls membership of the class. For example, Joey leaves the contents of his bank account "to my employees." If Joey then fires some of his old employees and hires new ones, the new employees will inherit the contents of the bank account under this provision.
2. The testator devises general categories or types of property, and then changes the specific items of property within that category or type. For example, Joey writes in his will, "I leave my car to Rachel". At the time of the writing, Joey drives a 1974 AMC Gremlin; however, Joey later sells the Gremlin and purchases a Rolls-Royce. Because the purpose for switching vehicles is to provide Joey with a more comfortable ride, and not to change the will without going through the appropriate testamentary formalities, the gift to Rachel remains enforceable.

This law-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Wikipedia content modification information:

• This page was last modified on 13 October 2008, at 23:49.

Wikipedia Authorship and Review

Wikipedia content provided here is not reviewed directly by MedLibrary.org. Wikipedia content is authored by an open community of volunteers and is not produced by or in any way affiliated with MedLibrary.org.

Wikipedia Usage Guidelines

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article on "Acts of independent significance".

The URL for this specific entry is:

• http://medlibrary.org/medwiki/Acts_of_independent_significance

All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details). Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.