Opinion ID: 1385259
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Elective-Share Provision

Text: W.Va.Code, 42-3-1(a) [1992] [2] states, in relevant part: The surviving spouse of a decedent who dies domiciled in this state has a right of election, under the limitations and conditions stated in this part, to take an elective-share amount equal to the value of the elective-share percentage of the augmented estate, determined by the length of time the spouse and the decedent were married to each other[.] W.Va.Code, 42-3-1 [1992] sets forth the amount a surviving spouse may elect to take from the augmented estate. [3] The purpose behind an elective-share statute is to prevent disinheritance of the spouse. See generally John W. Fisher II & Scott A. Curnutte, Reforming the Law of Intestate Succession and Elective Shares: New Solutions to Age-Old Problems, 93 W.Va.L.Rev. 61, 98-115 (1990). As Professor Fisher has noted [t]he protection of a decedent's wife from disinheritance began as early as the Code of Hammurabi, and can be traced through Roman, Germanic, Scandinavian and Saxon law. Id. at 101 (footnote omitted). The purpose of the Revised Uniform Probate Code elective-share provision is to deal with the problem of spousal disinheritance in modern times. In fact, the elective-share provision of the Revised Uniform Probate Code specifically was written in order to bring elective-share law into line with the contemporary view of marriage as an economic partnership. Revised Article II of the Uniform Probate Code, 8 U.L.A. 90 at general comment (Supp.1994). The elective-share system, set forth in the Revised Uniform Probate Code, is based upon two rationales: (1) contributionwhich recognizes that no matter what role a spouse plays in marriage, he or she has made some contribution towards the acquisition of property of the deceased spouse and (2) supportwhich recognizes that the surviving spouse will need support after the death of his or her spouse. Roberts, supra at 57-58. Therefore, the purpose behind the elective-share provision set forth in W.Va.Code, 42-3-1 [1992] is to prevent spousal disinheritance in order to ensure that the surviving spouse's contribution to the acquisition of property during the marriage is recognized and in order to ensure that the surviving spouse has continuing financial support after the death of his or her spouse. This purpose is obviously different than the purpose of the premarital will provision.