Revised Laws of Saint Lucia (2021)

118N.   PROVISIONS SUPPLEMENTARY TO SECTION 118M

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    (1)   For the purposes of the application of the articles in the Civil Code, Cap. 4.01 relating to successions, to the devolution of property under section 118M, and for the purposes of the construction of a disposition under that section, an adopted person is deemed to be related to another person being the child or adopted child of the adopter or, in the case of a joint adoption, of either of the adopters —

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      (a)     if he or she was adopted by two spouses jointly, and that other person is the child or adopted child of both of them, as brother or sister of the whole blood; and

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      (b)     in any other case, as brother or sister of the half-blood.

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    (2)   Notwithstanding any rule of law, a disposition made by will or codicil executed before the date of an adoption order is not treated for the purposes of section 118M as made after that date by reason only that the will or codicil is confirmed by a codicil executed after that date.

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    (3)   Notwithstanding section 118M, trustees or personal representatives may convey or distribute real or personal property to or among the persons entitled without having ascertained that no adoption order has been made by virtue of which a person is or may be entitled to an interest and are not liable to a person of whose claim they have not had notice at the time of the conveyance or distribution; but nothing in this subsection prejudices the right of the person to follow the property, or property representing it, into the hands of a person, other than a purchaser, who may have received it.

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    (4)   If an adoption order is made in respect of a person who has been previously adopted, the previous adoption is disregarded for the purposes of section 118M in relation to the devolution of property on the death of a person dying intestate after the date of the subsequent adoption order and in relation to a disposition of property made after that date.

(Inserted by Act 20 of 2019)