per stirpes

per stirpes definition - legal

adj

adv

Latin

By or through roots and stocks. A proportional division of the estate among beneficiaries according to the share of descent from their deceased ancestor. Essentially, each beneficiary gets shares of stock in the estate based upon the closeness of relationship to the deceased. Distinct from per capita.

Webster's New World Law Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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