Wisconsin Statutes

Wis. Stat. § 852.01 (2026)

Basic rules for intestate succession

✓ current as of July 2026

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852.01852.01 Basic rules for intestate succession.

852.01(1)(1) Who are heirs. Except as modified by the decedent’s will under s. 852.10 (1), any part of the net estate of a decedent that is not disposed of by will passes to the decedent’s surviving heirs as follows:

852.01(1)(a)(a) To the spouse or domestic partner:

852.01(1)(a)1.1. If there are no surviving issue of the decedent, or if the surviving issue are all issue of the surviving spouse or surviving domestic partner and the decedent, the entire estate.

852.01(1)(a)2.2. If there are surviving issue one or more of whom are not issue of the surviving spouse or surviving domestic partner, one-half of decedent’s property other than the following property:

852.01(1)(a)2.a.a. The decedent’s interest in marital property.

852.01(1)(a)2.b.b. The decedent’s interest in property held equally and exclusively with the surviving spouse or surviving domestic partner as tenants in common.

852.01(1)(b)(b) To the issue, per stirpes, the share of the estate not passing to the spouse or surviving domestic partner, under par. (a), or the entire estate if there is no surviving spouse or surviving domestic partner.

852.01(1)(c)(c) If there is no surviving spouse, surviving domestic partner, or issue, to the parents.

852.01(1)(d)(d) If there is no surviving spouse, surviving domestic partner, issue, or parent, to the brothers and sisters and the issue of any deceased brother or sister per stirpes.

852.01(1)(f)(f) If there is no surviving spouse, surviving domestic partner, issue, parent, or issue of a parent, to the grandparents and their issue as follows:

852.01(1)(f)1.1. One-half to the maternal grandparents equally if both survive, or to the surviving maternal grandparent; if both maternal grandparents are deceased, to the issue of the maternal grandparents or either of them, per stirpes.

852.01(1)(f)2.2. One-half to the paternal relations in the same manner as to the maternal relations under subd. 1.

852.01(1)(f)3.3. If either the maternal side or the paternal side has no surviving grandparent or issue of a grandparent, the entire estate to the decedent’s relatives on the other side.

852.01(2)(2) Survivorship requirement. Survivorship under sub. (1) is determined as provided in s. 854.03.

852.01(2m)(2m) Heir who kills decedent. If a person under sub. (1) killed the decedent, the inheritance rights of that person are governed by s. 854.14.

852.01(3)(3) Escheat. If there are no heirs of the decedent under subs. (1) and (2), the net estate escheats to the state to be added to the capital of the school fund.

852.01 HistoryHistory: 1977 c. 214, 449; 1981 c. 228; 1983 a. 186; 1985 a. 37; 1987 a. 222; 1987 a. 393 s. 53; 1991 a. 224; 1993 a. 486; 1997 a. 188; 2005 a. 216; 2009 a. 28.

852.01 NoteNOTE: See notes in 1985 Wis. Act 37 (marital property trailer bill) and 1991 Wis. Act 224.

852.01 Cross-referenceCross-reference: See ss. 863.37 (2) and 863.39 (1) for deposit of funds with state treasurer.

852.01 AnnotationSub. (1) (a) 2. entitles the surviving spouse to one-half of the decedent’s nonmarital property. However, it assigns the survivor no interest in their marital property. Therefore, under sub. (1) (b), all of the decedent’s interest in marital property passes to the decedent’s issue. Estate of Carroll, 2001 WI App 120, 244 Wis. 2d 280, 628 N.W.2d 411, 00-1734.

852.01 AnnotationWisconsin’s New Probate Code. Erlanger. Wis. Law. Oct. 1998.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 48 cases (9 in the last 5 years), 1975–2026 · leading case: Hailey Marie-Joe Force v. Am. Fam. Mut. Ins. Co., 2014 WI 82 (Wis. 2014).

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Hailey Marie-Joe Force v. Am. Fam. Mut. Ins. Co., 2014 WI 82 (Wis. 2014). · cites it 16× “During our consideration of the children's claim, we reviewed Wis. Stat. § 852.01 (2m) (1985- 86), which precluded one who feloniously and intentionally killed a decedent from recovering as an heir of the decedent.”

State v. McDonald, 424 N.W.2d 411 (Wis. 1988). · cites it 10× “For example, under sec. 852.01(2m)(b), Stats., a final judgment of conviction of felonious and intentional killing is conclusive evidence that the defendant has feloniously and intentionally killed the decedent, and thus the defendant may not: (1) receive money from the victim's…”

Bowen v. Am. Fam. Ins., 2012 WI App 29 (Wis. Ct. App. 2012). · cites it 11× “Under Wis. Stat. § 852.01 (l)(a) and (b), if the deceased's spouse or domestic partner does not survive, the deceased's next lineal heirs are his or her children.”

Jackson v. Gray, 569 N.W.2d 467 (Wis. Ct. App. 1997). · cites it 16× “1 Section 852.01, Stats., provides: Basic rules for intestate succession.”

Steinbarth v. Johannes, 423 N.W.2d 540 (Wis. 1988). · cites it 6× “However, the Steinbarths maintain that the statute must be interpreted in conjunction with sec. 852.01, Stats. 1985-86, the rules for intestate succession, referred to in 895.”

Boles v. Milwaukee Cnty., 443 N.W.2d 679 (Wis. Ct. App. 1989). · cites it 6× “, provides that if no spouse survives, the amount recovered shall vest in the deceased's lineal heirs as determined by sec. 852.01, Stats. Section 852.01 defines intestate succession.”

Lornson v. Siddiqui, 2007 WI 92 (Wis. 2007). · cites it 3× “As we noted above, under the statute, the spouse and minor children are first in line to make a wrongful death claim; if there are no minor children, the claim belongs to the spouse; if no spouse survives, the claim belongs to the lineal heirs (as determined by Wis. Stat. §…”

Carroll v. Ansley, 2001 WI App 120 (Wis. Ct. App. 2001). · cites it 14× “Because we conclude that Wis. Stat. § 852.01 (1) (1999-2000) 1 does not award Larnel any portion of Alma's probate estate, we affirm the order of the circuit court.”

Est. of Heiser v. Islamic Repub. of Iran, 466 F. Supp. 2d 229 (D.D.C. 2006). “Wis. Stat. Ann. §§ 852.01 (l)(c). Damages recoverable in a wrongful death action include pecuniary damages, non-pecuniary damages limited to $350,000, as well as medical and funeral expenses.”

Day v. Allstate Indem. Co., 2010 WI App 72 (Wis. Ct. App. 2010). · cites it 8× “the deceased's lineal heirs as determined by [ Wis. Stat. § 852.01 ]." Wis. Stat. § 895.”

DiBenedetto v. Jaskolski, 2003 WI App 70 (Wis. Ct. App. 2003). · cites it 3× “See Wis. Stat. § 852.01 (3). 4 ¶ 6. Shortly after the appellants petitioned for a determination of heirship, the personal representative communicated with the circuit court, by letter to a probate court commissioner, "to add some insight into the life of [FBT], and .”

Ford v. Ford, 512 A.2d 389 (Md. 1986). · cites it 2× “); Wis. Stat. Ann. § 852.01 (2m) (1971, Cum.”

Show all 48 citing cases →

— Wis. Stat. § 852.01(1) — 1 case

Steinbarth v. Johannes, 405 N.W.2d 728 (Wis. Ct. App. 1987).

— Wis. Stat. § 852.01(1)(b) — 2 cases

Sean Higgins (Bankr. E.D. Wis. 2023).

Sterling L. North v. Est. of William James North II (Wis. Ct. App. 2025).

— Wis. Stat. § 852.01(1)(c) — 2 cases

Day v. Allstate Indem. Co., 2010 WI App 72 (Wis. Ct. App. 2010).

Douglas Cnty. v. N. J. M. (Wis. Ct. App. 2026).

— Wis. Stat. § 852.01(2m) — 8 cases

Hailey Marie-Joe Force v. Am. Fam. Mut. Ins. Co., 2014 WI 82 (Wis. 2014). “During our consideration of the children's claim, we reviewed Wis. Stat. § 852.01 (2m) (1985- 86), which precluded one who feloniously and intentionally killed a decedent from recovering as an heir of the decedent.”

Jackson v. Gray, 569 N.W.2d 467 (Wis. Ct. App. 1997). “1 Section 852.01, Stats., provides: Basic rules for intestate succession.”

In Re Est. of Hackl v. Hackl, 604 N.W.2d 579 (Wis. Ct. App. 1999).

Steinbarth v. Johannes, 423 N.W.2d 540 (Wis. 1988). “However, the Steinbarths maintain that the statute must be interpreted in conjunction with sec. 852.01, Stats. 1985-86, the rules for intestate succession, referred to in 895.”

WISC-T—Channel 3/Madison v. Mewis, 442 N.W.2d 578 (Wis. Ct. App. 1989).

— Wis. Stat. § 852.01(2m)(a) — 1 case

WISC-T—Channel 3/Madison v. Mewis, 442 N.W.2d 578 (Wis. Ct. App. 1989).

— Wis. Stat. § 852.01(2m)(b) — 4 cases

State v. McDonald, 424 N.W.2d 411 (Wis. 1988). “For example, under sec. 852.01(2m)(b), Stats., a final judgment of conviction of felonious and intentional killing is conclusive evidence that the defendant has feloniously and intentionally killed the decedent, and thus the defendant may not: (1) receive money from the victim's…”

Boruch v. Est. of Pergolski (In re Boruch), 505 B.R. 508 (Bankr. W.D. Wis. 2014).

Jackson v. Gray, 521 N.W.2d 173 (Wis. Ct. App. 1994).

— Wis. Stat. § 852.01(2m)(bg) — 1 case

WISC-T—Channel 3/Madison v. Mewis, 442 N.W.2d 578 (Wis. Ct. App. 1989).

— Wis. Stat. § 852.01(2m)(br) — 2 cases

Jackson v. Gray, 569 N.W.2d 467 (Wis. Ct. App. 1997). “1 Section 852.01, Stats., provides: Basic rules for intestate succession.”

Jackson v. Gray, 521 N.W.2d 173 (Wis. Ct. App. 1994).

— Wis. Stat. § 852.01(3) — 2 cases

DiBenedetto v. Jaskolski, 2003 WI App 70 (Wis. Ct. App. 2003). “See Wis. Stat. § 852.01 (3). 4 ¶ 6. Shortly after the appellants petitioned for a determination of heirship, the personal representative communicated with the circuit court, by letter to a probate court commissioner, "to add some insight into the life of [FBT], and .”

John P. Werler v. Douglas Berends (Wis. Ct. App. 2024).

— Wis. Stat. § 852.01(c) — 2 cases

Est. of Lamers v. Am. Hardware Mut. Ins., 2008 WI App 165 (Wis. Ct. App. 2008).

Crumble v. Johnson, 932 N.W.2d 193 (Wis. Ct. App. 2019).

— Wis. Stat. § 852.01(l)(a) — 5 cases

Carroll v. Ansley, 2001 WI App 120 (Wis. Ct. App. 2001). “Because we conclude that Wis. Stat. § 852.01 (1) (1999-2000) 1 does not award Larnel any portion of Alma's probate estate, we affirm the order of the circuit court.”

Jackson v. Gray, 569 N.W.2d 467 (Wis. Ct. App. 1997). “1 Section 852.01, Stats., provides: Basic rules for intestate succession.”

Droukas v. Est. of Felhofer, 2014 WI App 6 (Wis. Ct. App. 2013).

Jackson v. Gray, 521 N.W.2d 173 (Wis. Ct. App. 1994).

— Wis. Stat. § 852.01(l)(b) — 2 cases

In Re Est. of Hackl v. Hackl, 604 N.W.2d 579 (Wis. Ct. App. 1999).

— Wis. Stat. § 852.01(l)(c) — 1 case

Bruflat v. Prudential Prop. & Cas. Ins., 2000 WI App 69 (Wis. Ct. App. 2000).

— Wis. Stat. § 852.01(l)(d) — 1 case

W.L.M. v. P.H.G., 426 N.W.2d 52 (Wis. Ct. App. 1988).

Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.