• Historically, unless the creditor obtained a judgment against the debtor before the debtor’s death, the creditor’s right of action on the debt was limited to the decedent’s lawful heir. If the debtor devised the land to a stranger, the creditor’s claim was defeated. See HEIR(1).
specialty creditor
A creditor to whom an heir is liable for a decedent’s debts to the extent of the land inherited.