In what cases do co-heirs arise, and whom do they refer to?

Co-heirs literally refers to several heirs of the same priority who jointly inherit when there are multiple heirs.

Because inheritance is usually received jointly by several family members, co-heirs arise in typical inheritance cases.

For example, when one of the parents who have several children dies, the spouse and the children all become co-heirs, and they hold joint rights and obligations with respect to the inherited property.

Under the Civil Act, the spouse is always included as a co-heir and inherits jointly with the heirs of each priority according to the order of succession.

Statutory order of succession
First priority: lineal descendants
Second priority: lineal ascendants
Third priority: siblings
Fourth priority: collateral relatives within the fourth degree

Co-heirs first become joint owners of the entire inherited property.

Afterward, they divide the property individually through a division by agreement, or, if no agreement is reached, they file a claim for division of the inherited property with the court.

The more heirs there are, the more complex the interests become and the greater the potential for disputes, so it is important to clearly organize matters through an expert's mediation or a legal consultation.