North Carolina General Statutes 31-5.4. (Effective until March 1, 2024) Revocation by divorce or annulment; revival
Dissolution of marriage by absolute divorce or annulment after making a will does not revoke the will of any testator but, unless otherwise specifically provided in the will, it revokes all provisions in the will in favor of the testator’s former spouse or purported former spouse, including, but not by way of limitation, any provision conferring a general or special power of appointment on the former spouse or purported former spouse and any appointment of the former spouse or purported former spouse as executor, trustee, conservator, or guardian. If provisions are revoked solely by this section, they are revived by the testator’s remarriage to the former spouse or purported former spouse. (1953, c. 1098, s. 6; 1977, c. 74, s. 3; 1991, c. 587, s. 1.)
§ 31-5.4. (Effective March 1, 2024) Revocation by divorce or annulment; revival.
(a) Unless a contrary intent is expressly indicated in the will, if the testator’s marriage is dissolved by absolute divorce or annulment after the execution of a will, then the testator’s former spouse shall be deemed to have predeceased the testator for all purposes related to the construction, interpretation, or administration of that will. This section shall apply to all provisions of the testator’s will, including, but not by way of limitation, any provision conferring a general or special power of appointment on the former spouse and any appointment of the former spouse as executor, trustee, conservator, guardian, or any other fiduciary or nonfiduciary position.
(b) This section shall not apply to a will if the following occur:
(1) The testator executes a subsequent valid testamentary document that makes express reference to the will, such as by date of the will, and which modifies the will.
Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes 31-5.4
- Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
- Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
- following: when used by way of reference to any section of a statute, shall be construed to mean the section next preceding or next following that in which such reference is made; unless when some other section is expressly designated in such reference. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
- Testator: A male person who leaves a will at death.
- Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
(2) The testator remarries the former spouse prior to the testator’s death, unless the remarriage is subsequently dissolved by absolute divorce or annulment.
(c) As used in this section, the term “former spouse” includes a purported former spouse. (1953, c. 1098, s. 6; 1977, c. 74, s. 3; 1991, c. 587, s. 1; 2023-120, s. 2.1.)