Dead hands
Subtitle: a social history of wills, trusts, and inheritance law
By: Lawrence M. Friedman.
Publisher: Stanford University Press
Published: 2009
Place of publication: Stanford, Calif
Language: eng
Number of pages: 230
ISBN-13: 9780804760362; 9780804762090
Subjects: Inheritance and succession -- United States -- History; Inheritance and succession -- Social aspects -- United States
Description: Law and custom allow people many ways to pass on their property. As Friedman's enlightening social history reveals, a decline in formal rules, the ascendancy of will substitutes over classic wills, social changes like the rise of the family of affection, changing ideas of acceptable heirs, and the potential disappearance of the estate tax all play a large role in the balance of wealth. Dead Hands uncovers the tremendous social and legal importance of this rite of passage, and how it reflects changing values and priorities in American families and society. --from publisher description.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Distribution after death : intestacy; title: The last will and testament; title: Will substitutes; title: Dynastic and caretaker trusts; title: "Breaking a will " : will contests and their social meaning; title: Control by the dead and its limits : the rise and fall of the rule against perpetuities; title: Control by the dead hand; title: Death and taxes.