Pretermitted Heir Legal Meaning and Definition

Here is a simplified definition of the legal term Pretermitted Heir.

Pretermitted Heir (noun): In law, a pretermitted heir refers to a child or descendant of a person who made a will (will-maker) but is accidentally left out of the will, usually because the will-maker did not know about their existence. This often happens when the will is carried out before the heir's birth or when the heir was mistakenly thought to be dead. Despite not being named in the will, a pretermitted heir usually has the right to claim a portion of the will-maker's estate.