Surrogate Legal Meaning and Definition

Here is a simplified definition of the legal term Surrogate.

Surrogate (noun)

1. A person who takes the place of another or acts on their behalf, for example, a woman who carries a baby for a couple unable to have children.
2. A U.S. legal officer, specific to some states, whose role is to adjudicate matters related to the inheritance of property, such as wills and estates.