A plain-language definition, not a conclusion about a document or case. Read the term in its full legal context.
Plain-English meaning
Intestate
The condition of dying without a valid will controlling the property at issue.
Why the term matters
State intestacy statutes identify heirs and shares, while the court appoints an administrator or personal representative.
Do not confuse it with
An estate can be partly intestate if a will fails to dispose of certain property, and nonprobate assets can still pass outside intestacy.