A decedent (pronounced da-See-dunt) is a deceased person. This term is commonly used to refer to a deceased person in the law of wills, trusts, and estates.
In Mississippi, the term 'decedent' refers to an individual who has passed away. In the context of wills, trusts, and estates law, the decedent is the person whose estate is being managed or distributed after their death. Mississippi law governs the distribution of a decedent's assets through the probate process if the decedent died with a will (testate) or without a will (intestate). The Mississippi Code provides specific statutes that outline the procedures for probate, the rights of heirs and beneficiaries, the responsibilities of the executor or administrator of the estate, and the handling of trusts. The probate court in the county where the decedent lived at the time of death has jurisdiction over the estate. If the decedent had a valid will, the property is distributed according to the will's instructions. If there is no will, the property is distributed according to Mississippi's intestacy laws, which prioritize spouses, children, and other relatives in a defined order of succession.