TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — An 18-year-old high school student who obtained a NT$500 million (US$15.3 million) inheritance suspiciously plunged to his death hours after registering for same-sex marriage.
With some people alleging foul play, legal experts are chiming in about whether his newlywed husband is entitled to the inheritance. To better understand the situation, UDN examined the following legal questions.
Is the marriage valid?
Marriage requires the couple's presence along with two witnesses to sign documents before the court, but it also includes the "true intention to marry."
If the mother of the deceased believes her son did not truly intend to marry, she can file a civil lawsuit to determine whether the marriage is valid.
Cases involving fake marriages or divorces typically involve criminal forgery of documents or improper registration by public servants.
Is death accidental or criminal in nature?
The timing of the marriage and death occurring two hours later arouses suspicions.
However, this depends on police and crime scene investigators, who need to evaluate forensic evidence to judge how the high school student fell. If there is no evidence to prove murder, the judge may rule it an accident.
How will the inheritance be distributed?
The estate of the 18-year-old high school student is jointly inherited by his mother and newly married spouse.
The mother is entitled to file a lawsuit to confirm the validity of her son's marriage and remove the legal status of her son’s spouse. This type of lawsuit can be lengthy, but failure to file a lawsuit will result in the inheritance being split.
Furthermore, if there is a will involving the deceased person, the property can also be transferred according to the will.
If the court finds that the marriage is valid and there is no murder, the spouse can inherit the property, even if the marriage is only two hours old.
If the court determines that the cause of death was murder, and even if the marriage is valid, the spouse will lose the right to inheritance.
