Succession Act 1965 section 1

Short title

Section 1 establishes the formal citation title of the Act and provides context for its overarching purpose: to modernise and consolidate the law governing how deceased persons' property is handled.

• The Act is formally cited as the Succession Act, 1965.
• It consolidates and amends the law on devolution, administration, wills and intestate distribution of deceased persons' property.
• Real property (land and buildings) and personal property (everything else) are treated in the same way under the Act.
• The Act introduces a surviving spouse's legal right to a share of the estate and allows children to apply to court for proper provision from the estate.