Paragraph 10
Inheritance Law
(1) The surviving Life Partner of the testator is legal heir to a quarter of the estate alongside relatives of the first degree, and to half of the estate alongside relatives of the second degree or grandparents. If grandparents and descendants of grandparents coincide, the Life Partner also receives the part of the other half that would have gone to the descendants in accordance with Paragraph 1926 of the German Civil Law. Additionally, he or she has the right to keep as an advance the contents of the Life Partnership household, unless they are appurtenances to land, and gifts received when the civil partnership was formed. If the surviving Life Partner is legal heir alongside relatives of the first degree, then he or she is entitled to keep the advance only insofar as it is required to maintain an adequate household. [ . . . ]
(2) If the deceased Life Partner had neither relatives of the first or second degree nor grandparents, the surviving Life Partner inherits the totality of the estate. If at the time of the testator’s death the Life Partner maintained a property regime of separate estate, and if, in addition to the surviving Life Partner, one or two children of the deceased are legal heirs, the surviving Life Partner and each child inherit equal shares; Paragraph 1924, Section 3, of the German Civil Code shall apply also in this case.
(3) The surviving Life Partner has no right to inheritance if at the time of the testator’s death,
1. the conditions for the termination of the Life Partnership as described in Paragraph 15, Section 2, Nos. 1 or 2, were met and the testator had demanded or agreed to the termination, or
2. the testator had filed a petition as described in Paragraph 15, Section 2, No. 3, and this petition was justified.
In these cases, Paragraph 16 shall apply accordingly.
(4) Life partners have the right to establish a common will. Paragraphs 2266 to 2272 of the German Civil Code shall apply accordingly. [ . . . ]
Paragraph 11
Other Effects of the Life Partnership
(1) One Life Partner shall be deemed a member of the family of the other Life Partner except as otherwise provided for.
(2) The relatives of one Life Partner shall be deemed in-laws of the other Life Partner. The line and degree of the relationship shall be determined according to the line and degree of the relationship through which it is mediated. The relationship shall continue even if the Life Partnership on which it was based has been dissolved.
Chapter 3: Separation of the Life Partners
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