IHTM12201 - Scottish Prior and Legal rights: introduction

Under Scots Law the surviving spouse or civil partner ( IHTM11032) and the children of a person who has died domiciled in Scotland have the following rights in the estate of that person

prior rights ( IHTM12211) - these are the statutory entitlement of the surviving spouse or civil partner, and apply in intestacy ( IHTM12101) or partial intestacy ( IHTM12156) cases only. They consist of a right to

  • a house,
  • furniture, and
  • a cash provision.

legal rights including rights under s131 of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 ( IHTM12221) - these rights, which stem mainly from common law, are available to both the surviving spouse or civil partner and to surviving children, ( IHTM12252) in all cases, whether testacy or intestacy. They are determined according to the value of, and paid from, moveable estate ( IHTM12225) only.