Commission reviewing rules on benefitting from unlawful deaths
The Law Reform Commission is reviewing a legal principle that prevents a person who has killed another from benefiting financially from the victim’s death.
The so-called ‘Forfeiture Rule’ is based in common law, meaning it is derived from earlier court decisions rather than from any specific legislation or public policy, a situation the commission says “preserves flexibility, but also creates uncertainty”.
The rule can apply to property interests, such as joint tenancies, life insurance, superannuation and pension entitlements, and to various forms of unlawful killing. For a more complete summary of the story, please see the below link:
Published on: Apr 01, 2026 03:47 PM