# Can you use a will to control from beyond the grave?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-a-will-to-control-from-beyond-the-grave/743514>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [January 18, 2016, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-a-will-to-control-from-beyond-the-grave/743514 "2016-01-18T18:41:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2016, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-a-will-to-control-from-beyond-the-grave/743514/21 "2016-01-19T22:19:24Z")

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My husband did have to pass a drug test to receive his inheritance from his grandmother. But once the money was his, he was free to do as much coke and heroin as ever (which is to say none at all).

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**Author:** ![wellanuff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/57b2e6/32.png) [@wellanuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wellanuff)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2016, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-a-will-to-control-from-beyond-the-grave/743514/22 "2016-01-20T00:58:40Z")

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Regarding disinheriting someone for contesting a will, I’m not a lawyer, but a cursory google seems to indicate most states do allow this (called a “no contest clause”). There are differences by state. It seems the major flavors are: the clause is enforceable in all instances; the clause is not enforceable if the person contesting the will has probable cause/is acting in good faith; or the clause is not enforceable at all.

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**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2016, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-a-will-to-control-from-beyond-the-grave/743514/23 "2016-01-20T01:59:45Z")

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> [@Quercus](#):
>
> Sloppy drafting. What if he divorced her, but remarried her within one year of will-writer’s death? He would meet the first clause, but not the second.
> 
> Plus, even if this was legal on its face, I’m not sure how it could be written to keep John and Susan from legally divorcing effective one year minus one day, then re-marrying on one year plus one day.

I’ll give the poster the benefit of the doubt and assume the clause was so the Harlot would not be entitled to half of the inheritance if they later divorce.

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**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2016, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-use-a-will-to-control-from-beyond-the-grave/743514/24 "2016-01-20T13:41:45Z")

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Darn, I guess all those erotic fiction stories about the young woman being forced to stay naked for a year to inherit her millions can’t be true?

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