Ademption Legal Meaning and Definition

Here is a simplified definition of the legal term Ademption.

Ademption (noun)

Ademption refers to the act of cancelling out or withdrawing a gift or inheritance previously stated in a will, by the person who wrote the will (called the testator). This can be done in two ways:

1. Express Ademption: This is when the withdrawal is clearly stated in a later document, such as a codicil (an official amendment to a will) or a new will.

2. Implied Ademption: This occurs when the testator's behavior suggests that they meant to revoke the gift. For example, if the testator leaves a specific item to someone in their will, but then later sells that item, it implies they intended to cancel the gift.

This term is often used in estate law or when discussing wills and inheritances.