If an individual dies without a will (intestate) in Tennessee and they leave a surviving spouse and children, what happens to the decedent’s property?

When an individual dies without a will (intestate) Tennessee statutes govern the distribution of their estate including all of their assets and property.  T.C.A. § 31-2-104 provides that if there is a surviving spouse then the distribution is as follows:

(a) The intestate share of the surviving spouse is:

(1) If there is no surviving issue of the decedent, the entire intestate estate; or

(2) If there are surviving issue of the decedent, either one-third (1/3) or a child's share of the entire intestate estate, whichever is greater.

Surviving Spouse only (with no surviving “issue”):

As a result, if there is a surviving spouse with no “issue” from the decedent then the surviving spouse takes the entire estate.  The next question is, what does it mean to have surviving “issue” of the decedent?  Issue is defined in T.C.A. § 31-1-101 as follows:

(6) “Issue” of a person means all the person's lineal descendants, adopted as well as natural born, of all generations, with the relationship of parent and child at each generation being determined by the definitions of child and parent contained in this title;

This includes children but it also includes grandchildren (and also others but children and grandchildren are the most common examples of “issue”). 

Surviving Spouse with surviving “issue”:

If the decedent had surviving “issue” then the surviving spouse gets a one-third share of the estate or a child's share of the estate, whichever is greater.  This means that if there is a surviving spouse and one chi...

Is someone who is divorced, separated or had their marriage annulled from a decedent considered a "surviving spouse" under Tennessee law?

It is important to determine who qualifies as a surviving spouse under Tennessee law for purposes of certain statutes that provide surviving spouses with substantial benefits and options (including elective share, homestead, year's support etc.).  T.C.A. § 31-1-102 provides that a person who is divorced from a deceased individual is not considered a "surviving spouse" under Tennessee law (assuming they have not remarried post divorce and are married at the time of death).  The same is true for an annulled marriage.  An individual whose marriage was annulled from a decedent is not considered a "surviving spouse" under Tennessee law. 

A decree of separation that does not actually terminate the status of husband and wife is a different matter.  The decree of separation is not considered a divorce or final and therefore that individual is still a "surviving spouse" under Tennessee law. 

T.C.A. § 31-1-102 provides in its entirety as follows:

(a) A person who is divorced from the decedent or whose marriage to the decedent has been annulled is not a surviving spouse unless, by virtue of a subsequent marriage, the person is married to the decedent at the time of death. A decree of separation that does not terminate the status of husband and wife is not a divorce for purposes of this section.

(b) For purposes of this title, a surviving spouse does not include:

(1) A person who obtains or consents to a final decree or judgment of divorce from the decedent or an annulment of their marriage, which decree or judgment is not recognized as valid in this state, unless they subsequently participate in a marriage ceremony purporting to marry each to the other, or subsequently live together as husband and wife;

(2) A person who, following a valid or invalid decree or judgment of divorce or annulment obtained by the decedent, participates in a marriage ceremony with a third person; or

(3) A person who was a party to a valid marital dissolution agreement or a valid proceeding concluded by an order purporting to terminate all marital property rights.