Glossary of Legal Terms

An administrator is the person appointed to manage an estate when there is no will, no executor was named, or the named executor cannot act. Their authority usually comes from a grant of administration.

An advance directive is a legal document in which an adult gives instructions about health care decisions that may be followed if the adult becomes incapable of making those decisions later.

An alternate executor is the backup executor named in a will in case the first choice cannot or does not want to act. Naming an alternate can help avoid delays in estate administration.

A beneficiary is a person or organization that is entitled to receive something from an estate. That entitlement may come from a will or, in some cases, from succession rules that apply when there is no will.

A codicil is a formal change or addition to an existing will. It must meet the legal requirements that apply to changing a will.

Death registration is the formal recording of a person’s death with Vital Statistics. It is an administrative step needed for many after-death processes.

Deceased means a person who has died. The term is commonly used in wills, estates, probate, and court materials.

Disposition is the handling of human remains after death, such as burial, cremation, or another lawful method. The term is also used more broadly for dealing with estate property.

An electronic will is a will made and stored in electronic form under the legal rules that allow it. Special legal requirements still apply to validity.

An enduring power of attorney is a legal document that lets an adult choose someone to handle financial and legal matters if the adult later cannot manage them alone. It helps keep bills, banking, and property matters moving without a court process in many cases.

An estate is the total of a deceased person’s assets, legal rights, and interests. It can include land, bank accounts, investments, possessions, and other property.

An estate grant is the general court authority document issued in probate matters, such as a grant of probate or a grant of administration. It confirms who has legal authority to deal with the estate.

An executor is the person named in a will to carry out the will and handle the estate. The executor gathers assets, pays debts and taxes, and gives what is left to the right people. In some cases, the executor needs probate before banks or land title offices will deal with them.

A grant of administration is the court document that authorizes an administrator to deal with an estate when there is no executor able to act. It gives the administrator legal authority to manage and distribute the estate.

A grant of probate is the court document issued after probate is approved. It confirms that the will can be relied on and that the executor has authority to act for the estate.

Interment means placing human remains in a grave, tomb, niche, or similar resting place. It is one of the recognized forms of final disposition.

A person dies intestate when they die without a valid will. In British Columbia, the estate is then distributed according to the Wills, Estates and Succession Act.

An obituary is the public notice or written tribute announcing a person’s death and often giving biographical details and service information. It is not a legal document, but it commonly forms part of after-death arrangements.

Palliative care is care focused on comfort, quality of life, and support for a person facing a serious illness. It may be relevant in end-of-life planning discussions.

A personal representative is the person with legal authority to administer an estate, whether as an executor named in a will or as an administrator appointed by the court.