N.J. Stat. tit. 3B, ch. 7

in effect

N.J. Stat. § 3B:7-1.1 Effect of intentional killing on intestate succession, wills, trusts, joint assets, life insurance and beneficiary designations.

58. Effect of intentional killing on intestate succession, wills, trusts, joint assets, life insurance, and beneficiary designations. a. An individual who is responsible for the intentional killing of the decedent forfeits all benefits under this title with respect to the decedent's estate, including an intestate share, an elective share, an omitted spouse's, domestic partner's, civil union partner's, or child's share, exempt property and a family allowance. If the decedent died intestate, the decedent's intestate estate passes as if the killer disclaimed his share. b. The intentional killing of the decedent: (1) revokes any revocable (a) disposition or appointment of property made by decedent to the killer in a governing instrument and any disposition or appointment created by law or in a governing instrument to a relative of the killer, (b) provision in a governing instrument conferring a general or special power of appointment on the killer or a relative of the killer, and (c) nomination in a governing instrument of the killer or a relative of the killer, nominating or appointing the killer or a relative of the killer to serve in any fiduciary or representative capacity; and (2) severs the interests of the decedent and the killer in property held by them at the time of the killing as joint tenants with the right of survivorship or as tenants by the entireties, transforming the interests of the decedent and killer into tenancies in common. c. For purposes of this chapter: (1) "governing instrument" means a governing instrument executed by the decedent; and (2) "relative of the killer" means an individual who is related to the killer by blood, adoption or affinity and who is not related to the decedent by blood or adoption or affinity. L.2004,c.132,s.58; amended 2005, c.160, s.8; 2005, c.331, s.6; 2023, c.238, s.3.

N.J. Stat. § 3B:7-1.2 Effect of revocation.

59. Provisions of a governing instrument are given effect as if the killer or relative of the killer disclaimed all provisions revoked by this chapter or, in the case of a revoked nomination in a fiduciary or representative capacity, as if the killer or relative of the killer predeceased the decedent. L.2004,c.132,s.59.

N.J. Stat. § 3B:7-5 Other acquisitions of property by decedent's killer.

3B:7-5. Any other acquisition of property or interest by the decedent's killer or by a relative of the killer not covered by this chapter shall be treated in accordance with the principle that a killer or a relative of a killer cannot profit from the killer's wrongdoing. Amended 2004, c.132, s.60.

N.J. Stat. § 3B:7-6 Effect of final judgment of conviction.

3B:7-6. A final judgment of conviction establishing responsibility for the intentional killing of the decedent is conclusive for purposes of this chapter. In the absence of such a conviction the court may determine by a preponderance of evidence whether the individual was responsible for the intentional killing of the decedent for purposes of this chapter. Amended 2004, c.132, s.61.

N.J. Stat. § 3B:7-7 Rights of purchasers; protection of payors and other third parties.

3B:7-7. This chapter does not affect the rights of any person who, before rights under this chapter have been adjudicated, purchases from the killer for value and without notice or receives a payment or other item of property in partial or full satisfaction of a legally enforceable obligation which the killer would have acquired except for this chapter, but the killer is liable for the amount of the proceeds or the value of the property. A payor or other third party making payment or transferring an item of property or other benefit according to the terms of a governing instrument affected by an intentional killing is not liable by reason of this chapter unless prior to such payment or transfer it has received at its home office or principal address written notice of a claimed forfeiture or revocation under this chapter. Amended 2004, c.132, s.62.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislative-activity/statutesFetched: 10/17/2026