How does an intestate succession differ from a will contest?

An intestate succession is the process that occurs when a person dies without leaving a will. When this happens, state laws (in this case, Washington’s laws) dictate how the deceased’s assets will be divided among surviving family members. A will contest, on the other hand, is a legal process that a person can use to challenge the validity of a will that the deceased did leave behind. That person would have to prove to a court that the will was invalid or fraudulent, in order for the court to throw it out. The key difference between intestate succession and will contests is that the former occurs when there is no will, while the latter occurs when there is a will but it is being challenged. An intestate succession involves the state’s laws determining how the deceased’s assets are distributed, while a will contest involves a court deciding whether the will is valid or not.

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How does an intestate succession differ from a will contest?

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