CODE II Flashcards
Universal Successor –
represents decedent and succeeds to all his rights and charges; heirs, general and universal legatees
Particular successor –
succeeds only to certain rights to a thing bequeathed to him; particular legacy in will, transferees
Conflicts –
movables are governed by state where decedent was domiciled at death; LA law governs LA immovable
3 ways to inherit:
in his own right, representation, transmission
Capacity to inherit –
need only be in existence at time of decedent’s death; includes those conceived and are later born alive
Order of Inheritance of Separate Property by Intestacy
- Descendants
- Parents and siblings - parents have a joint and successive usufruct over the siblings naked ownership
- Surviving spouse
- More remote ascendants
- More remote collaterals
Ascendants inherit immovable property when
they donate an immovable to the descendant, and that descendant dies without posterity and has not disposed of the immovable; if it has been alienated on a credit basis and the full price is not yet due, the ascendant has a right to receive the proceeds; the ascendant also enjoys any conditions imposed
Inheritance of Community Property by Intestacy – Order
- Surviving spouse
- Decedent spouse’s half of community property
a. Children or other descendants – goes to them subject to usufruct granted by law in favor of surviving spouse
i. Renunciation – child’s descendants inherit rather than the surviving spouse - Art. 890 usufruct to surviving spouse – applies only in intestate situation and it may be deprived of in will (special security rules)
a. Step children – applies even when the children who inherit are not children of the marriage
b. Duration – continues until surviving spouse dies or remarries
Formal acknowledgement –
by declaration or signing of birth certificate; child must not be filiated, mother must concur
i. For presumption to work, father must be married to mother, if not it only works in favor of the child
Paternity Action
suit filed by child to establish his biological father, even if presumed to be child of another man
Paternity action –
BOP If father still living
preponderance
Paternity action –
BOP if father is deceased,
clear and convincing
one year from the death of the alleged father
Avowal action –
suit filed by biological father to establish paternity even if child is presumed child of another man
BOP for Avowal action
Must prove by preponderance
Timing of avowal action
1. Presumed child of another man
one year of birth of child; unless the mother in bad faith deceived the father, then one year from the day the father knew or should have known of his paternity or within 10 years of the birth of the child; in any event, must be filed within one year of child’s death
Timing of avowal action
2. Not presumed child of another man
can be filed at any time, but no later than 1 year from childs death
Representation
1. Generally –
descendants of children or siblings of the decedent who would take, but have predeceased the decedent may take by representation (stepping into the shoes of their deceased ancestor)
Representation In collateral line,
only descendants of brothers and sisters may inherit (whole or half-blood)
Seizin
succession occurs at the death of the decedent, a successor acquires ownership, or is “seized,” of the decedent’s property immediately upon the decedent’s death
Seizin
-Transmission –
rights transmitted at death regardless of whether he accepted the rights
Seizin
-Possession –
transferred at death; particular successors may commence a new possession for purposes of acquisitive prescription
Unworthiness
heir or legatee is judicially declared unworthy (it is not automatic) and he is deprived of right to inherit
Action for unworthiness may only be brought by
a person who would have succeeded in place of or in concurrence with the unworthy successor, or by one who claims through such a person (if a minor, any family member or court may bring action)
Grounds for unworthiness –
convicted or judicially determined of intentional, unjustified, or attempted killing of decedent (no pardons)
Timing of unworthiness action–
brought in succession proceeding or 5 years from date of death (intestate) or probate or filing of testament (testate)
Effects of unworthiness–
as if unworthy successor predeceased the decedent (also loses right to claim as a forced heir, or to serve as executor)
Obligations of unworthy successor –
unworthy successor must return or account for all of the property he has or had of the decedent’s succession
Informal Acceptance–
act that implies intent to accept; if without knowledge or intention not acceptance; must be act of ownership
Renunciation as acceptance –
if made for a price or if it is gratuitous but made in favor of another to whom the inheritance would not otherwise accrete
Effect of acceptance –
successor is liable for debts of estate, but limited to value of the property he actually receives
Form for Renunciation –
must be express and in writing (does not have to be by authentic act) made after the death of the decedent and only when the successor knows of the death of the person and that he has rights as a successor
- doesnt have to be dated
Effect of renunciation –
accretion flows as if renouncing heir predeceased the decedent (testate – look to governing provision, if any)
Attempted renunciation –
an attempt to renounce a share in favor of someone outside the designated order of accretion is not a true renunciation, instead one is considered as having accepted the succession and then having donated the share to the intended designee (since it is a donation, it must be done by authentic act)
Donation Inter Vivos Def–
between living persons; contract by which a donor divests himself, at present and irrevocably, of the thing given, in favor of a donee who accepts the thing
Donation Mortis causa –
testament; act to take effect at the death of the donor where he divests himself of all or part of his property and is revocable during his lifetime
Capacity of donor to make donations IV must exist
when the donor makes the donation
Capacity of donor to make donations MC must exist
when testament is executed
donation of people under 16:
no MC or IV, except to spouse or children
donation of people 16-18,
may execute MC, but only IV to spouse or children
person challenging capacity for donation must prove by
clear and convincing that the donor lacked capacity at the proper time
Capacity of Full Interdict to donate –
lacks capacity to make a juridical act; lacks capacity to make or revoke any donation
rebuttable by preponderance
Capacity of Limited interdict to donate -
lacks capacity to make juridical act pertaining to certain property under the care of a curator
- Property under curator – prohibited from IV, for MC interdict is presumed to lack capacity
- Property not under curator – presumed to have capacity to make IV and MC
rebuttable by preponderance
Vices of capacity for donation
-i. Fraud or duress –
null
Vices of capacity donation
ii. Under influence –
donation is null when product of influence by the donee or another person that so impaired the volition of the donor so as to substitute the volition of the donee or the other person for volition of the donor
BOP for challenging capacity –
must prove by clear and convincing; however if a relationship of confidence existed at the time the donation was made, then the challenger need only prove vice by preponderance; but if the alleged wrong doer is related by affinity, consanguinity, or adoption, the standard remains clear and convincing
Conflicts – capacity is decided according to the law
where donor was domiciled at the time of making or at time of death
child conceived after the father is deceased is permitted to inherit from the father provided:
1) the mother is the surviving spouse,
2) the father specifically authorized in writing the use of his gametes, and
3) the child is born within 3 years of death of father
Prohibited substitutions –
a disposition not in trust to a first donee (institute) who is charged to preserve a thing and deliver it at his death to a second donee (substitute) is null with regard to both the institute and substitute
Vulgar substitutions –
a gift in full ownership merely providing that in the event a first donee cannot take the gift, the second donee will take it, then it is valid
Survivorship Clause –
a testator may require a donee to survive him for a period up to 6 months
right of first donee is suspended until he survives for the stipulated period, if he does, then he is considered to have succeeded from the moment of the decedents death, same for the second donee
Conflicts for form requirements of testaments –
valid as to form if it is in writing and with either: 1) law of LA;
2) law of the state of making at the time of making;
3) law of the state in which the testator was domiciled at time of making or at the time of his death
Olographic testaments –
1) Hand written –entirely hand written in handwriting of the testator; any changes (additions or deletions) may only be given effect if made by the hand of the testator (2 witnesses must identify the testator’s handwriting)
2) Signature – should be at the end of the will; but if anything is written by the testator after his signature the will is not invalid, and the court may consider the writing as part of the testament (doesn’t have to be name, can be how known)
3) Date – must be dated; date can appear anywhere on the testament; uncertain date will not invalidate the will as long as it is reasonably ascertainable from information in the will or by extrinsic evidence
Qualities of testator for Notorial Testament –
must be able to read and write and sign his name for the standard notarial will
Form of a notorial testament
1) Writing – may be written, printed, or typed 2) Date – must be dated; can be located anywhere; need not be made by the testator, nor required to be dated with notary
3) Signed at the end of the testament and each page in the presence of a notary and two witnesses.
3) Attestation clause – declaration made by the notary and witnesses at the end of the will that states that the testator declared the will was his and signed the will in their presence; essential that the notary and 2 witnesses sign the clause and do so in the presence of the testator and each other
Competency of witnesses – person cannot be a witness to a testament if
insane, blind, or unable to sign his name; must be over 15
additions or deletions on oligraphic -
- may only be given effect if made by the hand of the testator (2 witnesses must identify the testator’s handwriting)
- dont need to be signed or dated
- anything after signature will be considered by the ct, in its discretion, as part of the testament
Legatee or spouse of legatee as witness –
legacy to the witness or the spouse of a witness, as appropriate is invalid, although the testament itself may be valid
- When entitled to inherit as an intestate successor, they may inherit the lessor of his intestate share or legacy
Universal legacy –
testator gives to one or more persons the whole of the property, or balance or residue or all property left after particular legacies; all residuary legacies are universal but not all universal legacies are residual
General legacy:
a. Fraction or certain proportion of estate
b. Fraction or certain proportion of certain property classifications – disposition of all or a fraction of one of the following categories: separate or community; movable or immovable; corporeal or incorporeal
when a general legacy is phrased as residue or balance of estate without specifying that residue or balance,
it shall be treated as a universal legacy
Particular legacy –
neither general or universal; usually for specific property
Joint bequests –
a thing is left to two or more persons without an assignment of parts or shares so that legatees get equal parts
if a joint legacy lapses -
the share of that legatee accretes to the other joint legatees ratably
when a joint legatee predeceases the testator,
the surviving joint legatees take the entire bequest in full ownership;
if all joint legatees survive the testator, and then one of the joint legatees dies,
the legacy does not lapse; he inherits and transmits his share to his successors (it does not go to the other joint legatees)
Testamentary accretion –
takes place by law when a legacy lapses if no governing testamentary provision
Grounds for accretion–
1) legatee predeceases testator;
2) legatee is incapable of receiving at death of testator (lack capacity);
3) legatee is declared unworthy;
4) legacy is renounced (lapse is only to extent of renunciation);
5) legacy is declared invalid (to notary, witness/spouse of witness)
6) legacy is subject to suspensive condition that can’t be fulfilled or legatee dies before fulfilling
7) legacy is declared null (fraud, duress, undue influence)
when a particular or general legacy lapses, it goes to
the successor who would have received the property under the testament had the legacy not been made
Most favored class rule
if the legatee whose legacy lapses is a child or sibling of the testator, or a descendant of a child or sibling, accretion takes place in favor of descendants of the legatee, joint or otherwise
order of accretion
1) provision in testament
2) most favored class
3) joint legatee
4) universal
5) intestate
a legacy is extinguished when
the property that is the object of the legacy is lost or destroyed before the death of the testator
if Extinguished – legatee is entitled to
any property that remains, or uncollected insurance proceeds, and right of action
Transformed –
not extinguished if transferred into a similar object without an act of the testator
Priorities in disbursing bequests when succession not sufficient to discharge all bequests– look first to testament for express declaration, if not, then follow these rules
i. Legacies of specific things first
ii. Legatees of groups and collections of things
iii. Cash legacies are distributed on a pro rata basis, unless declare remunerative (which has preference)
Successors are entitled to fruits and products attributable to the object of the legacy from
the date of death of the testator
legacies of money is entitled to interest at a reasonable rate beginning
1 year after testators death