New Mexico Statutes 45-2-301. Entitlement of spouse; premarital will
A. If a testator‘s surviving spouse married the testator after the testator executed his will, the surviving spouse is entitled to receive, as an intestate share, no less than the value of the share of the estate he would have received if the testator had died intestate as to that portion of the testator’s estate, if any, that neither is devised to a child of the testator who was born before the testator married the surviving spouse and who is not a child of the surviving spouse nor is devised to a descendant of such a child or passes pursuant to Section 45-2-603 or 45-2-604 N.M. Stat. Ann. to such a child or to a descendant of such a child, unless:
Terms Used In New Mexico Statutes 45-2-301
- Devise: To gift property by will.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
- Intestate: Dying without leaving a will.
- Testator: A male person who leaves a will at death.
(1) it appears from the will or other evidence that the will was made in contemplation of the testator’s marriage to the surviving spouse;
(2) the will expresses the intention that it is to be effective notwithstanding any subsequent marriage; or
(3) the testator provided for the spouse by transfer outside the will and the intent that the transfer be in lieu of a testamentary provision is shown by the testator’s statements or is reasonably inferred from the amount of the transfer or other evidence.
B. In satisfying the share provided by this section, devises made by the will to the testator’s surviving spouse, if any, are applied first, and other devises, other than a devise to a child of the testator who was born before the testator married the surviving spouse and who is not a child of the surviving spouse or a devise or substitute gift pursuant to Section 45-2-603 or 45-2-604 N.M. Stat. Ann. to a descendant of such a child, abate as provided in Section 45-3-902 N.M. Stat. Ann..