Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Chapter 61 - Estates
Section 6117 - Rule in Shelley's case and doctrine of worthier title


(a) Rule in Shelley's case.--The rule in Shelley's case and its corollaries shall not be applied, and a conveyance directly or in trust which shall express an intent to create an estate for life with remainder to the life tenant's heirs or the heirs of his body or his issue or his next of kin or persons described by words of similar import, shall not operate to give such life tenant an estate in fee in real estate or an absolute estate in personalty.
(b) Doctrine of worthier title.--The doctrine of worthier title shall not be applied as a rule of law or as a rule of construction. Language in a governing instrument describing the beneficiaries of a disposition as the transferor's heirs, heirs at law, next of kin, distributees, relatives or family or language of similar import shall not create or presumptively create a reversionary interest in the transferor.
(Dec. 1, 1994, P.L.655, No.102, eff. 60 days)

Structure Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes

Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes

Title 20 - DECEDENTS, ESTATES AND FIDUCIARIES

Chapter 61 - Estates

Extra - Chapter Notes

Section 6101 - Definitions

Section 6102 - Termination of trusts (Deleted by amendment)

Section 6103 - Release or disclaimer of powers or interests (Repealed)

Section 6103.1 - Release of powers and interests and disclaimer of powers

Section 6104 - Rule against perpetuities

Section 6105 - Rule against perpetuities; disposition when invalidity occurs

Section 6106 - Income accumulations; when valid

Section 6107 - Income accumulations; disposition when invalidity occurs

Section 6107.1 - Applicability of rule against perpetuities

Section 6108 - Designation of beneficiaries of insurance or employee death benefits not testamentary

Section 6109 - Combination of charitable trusts (Repealed)

Section 6110 - Administration of charitable interests (Deleted by amendment)

Section 6111 - Conveyances to defeat marital rights (Repealed)

Section 6111.1 - Modification by divorce or pending divorce

Section 6111.2 - Effect of divorce or pending divorce on designation of beneficiaries

Section 6112 - Spendthrift trusts (Deleted by amendment)

Section 6113 - Limited estates in personalty and in the proceeds of the conversion of real estate

Section 6114 - Rules of interpretation

Section 6115 - Estates pur autre vie

Section 6116 - Estates in fee tail abolished

Section 6117 - Rule in Shelley's case and doctrine of worthier title

Section 6118 - Invalidity of certain gifts (Repealed)