statute of distribution
statute of distribution. A state law regulating the distribution of an estate among an intestate’s heirs and relatives. • Historically, the statute specified separate, and often different, patterns for distributing an intestate’s real property and personal property. Generally, land descended to the heirs and personalty descended to the next of kin. — Also termed statute of descent and distribution. [Cases: Descent and Distribution 1–43. C.J.S. Conflict of Laws §§ 71, 84; Descent and Distribution §§ 1–49; Right of Privacy and Publicity § 42.]