statutory will

In fact, four states have legalized a concept known as a statutory will, which comes as a standard form.

Perry Bullard, the Michigan state representative who sponsored the statutory will bill there, said people can be intimidated by the thought of visiting a lawyer.

New York and other states have not authorized the statutory will for many reasons, including concern that it might not be filled out properly and therefore lead to litigation over the author's intent.

And A. James Casner, professor of law emeritus at Harvard Law School, added: "If you're going to have a very complicated situation, you can't spell it out in a statutory will.

New York Bill Introduced Assemblyman Jerrold Nadler of Manhattan, who just reintroduced a statutory will bill in the New York Assembly, predicts that it has a good chance of passage this session, after being considered and rejected since 1982.