Tenn. Code Ann. § 31-1-101

This is the official text of Tenn. Code Ann. § 31-1-101, part of Tennessee’s Code Ann — part of the compiled statutory law of Tennessee, published by the state as "Code Ann." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.

Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.

Title definitions

Official statutory text

As used in this title, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Child" includes any individual, adopted or natural born, entitled to take as a child under this title by intestate succession from the parent whose relationship is involved and excludes any person who is only a stepchild, a foster child, a grandchild or any more remote descendant; (2) "Devise," when used as a noun, means a testamentary disposition of real or personal property. "Devise," when used as a verb, means to dispose of real or personal property by will; (3) "Devisee" means any person designated in a will to receive a devise. In the case of a devise to an existing trust or trustee, or to a trustee or trust described by a will, the trust or trustee is the devisee and the beneficiaries are not devisees; (4) "Distributee" means any person who has received property of a decedent from the personal representative other than as a creditor or purchaser; (5) "Heirs" means those persons, including the surviving spouse, who are entitled under the statutes of intestate succession to the property of a decedent; (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; (7) "Parent" includes any person entitled to take, or who would be entitled to take if the child, adopted or natural born, died without a will, as a parent under this title by intestate succession from the child whose relationship is in question and excludes any person who is only a stepparent, foster parent, or grandparent; (8) "Personal representative" includes executor, administrator, successor personal representative, special administrator, and persons who perform substantially the same function under the law governing their status; and (9) "Property" includes both real and personal property or any interest therein and means anything that may be the subject of ownership. Acts 1977, ch. 25, § 1; T.C.A., § 31-101.
As used in this title, unless the context otherwise requires:
(1) "Child" includes any individual, adopted or natural born, entitled to take as a child under this title by intestate succession from the parent whose relationship is involved and excludes any person who is only a stepchild, a foster child, a grandchild or any more remote descendant;
(2) "Devise," when used as a noun, means a testamentary disposition of real or personal property. "Devise," when used as a verb, means to dispose of real or personal property by will;
(3) "Devisee" means any person designated in a will to receive a devise. In the case of a devise to an existing trust or trustee, or to a trustee or trust described by a will, the trust or trustee is the devisee and the beneficiaries are not devisees;
(4) "Distributee" means any person who has received property of a decedent from the personal representative other than as a creditor or purchaser;
(5) "Heirs" means those persons, including the surviving spouse, who are entitled under the statutes of intestate succession to the property of a decedent;
(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;
(7) "Parent" includes any person entitled to take, or who would be entitled to take if the child, adopted or natural born, died without a will, as a parent under this title by intestate succession from the child whose relationship is in question and excludes any person who is only a stepparent, foster parent, or grandparent;
(8) "Personal representative" includes executor, administrator, successor personal representative, special administrator, and persons who perform substantially the same function under the law governing their status; and
a parent under this title by intestate succession from the child whose relationship is in question and excludes any person who is only a stepparent, foster parent, or grandparent;
(8) "Personal representative" includes executor, administrator, successor personal representative, special administrator, and persons who perform substantially the same function under the law governing their status; and
(9) "Property" includes both real and personal property or any interest therein and means anything that may be the subject of ownership.
Acts 1977, ch. 25, § 1; T.C.A., § 31-101.

Status: in_force

Need a lawyer in Tennessee?

Find a Tennessee lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the Open US Law dataset (Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine (Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.