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HB 7142

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A CAUSE OF ACTION FOR TORTIOUS INTERFERENCE WITH THE RIGHT OF AN INHERITANCE.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Dan Gaiewski and 1 co-sponsor

Creates a private civil claim for tortious interference with the right of inheritance, allowing heirs to sue third parties who block a will, trust, or intestate share.

FILE NO. 805
#civilactions #inheritance #torts
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Bill Summary · HB 7142

Summary — HB 7142

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A CAUSE OF ACTION FOR TORTIOUS INTERFERENCE WITH THE RIGHT OF AN INHERITANCE.

Overview / Purpose

HB 7142 would create a private civil cause of action for "tortious interference with the right of an inheritance." The bill’s intent is to give persons who are deprived of an expected inheritance a statutory mechanism to sue third parties whose wrongful conduct prevented them from receiving property under a will, trust, or the laws of intestacy.

Key features (based on bill title and legislative summary)

The full bill text was not included in the materials provided. Below are the substantive topics and provisions that such a bill customarily addresses; whether HB 7142 contains each specific item should be confirmed by reviewing the bill text.

  • Creation of a statutory cause of action:
    • Provides that a person (typically an intended beneficiary or heir) may sue a third party for intentionally and improperly interfering with the decedent’s testamentary or intestate right to inherit.
  • Elements of the claim (commonly included):
    • Plaintiff had an expectancy of inheritance under a will, trust, or intestacy;
    • Defendant knew of that expectancy;
    • Defendant intentionally and wrongfully acted to prevent the inheritance (e.g., fraud, undue influence, coercion, destruction/alteration of estate documents, inducing a testator to change disposition);
    • The interference caused the plaintiff’s loss.
  • Remedies:
    • Compensatory damages for the value of the lost inheritance;
    • Possible punitive damages if the conduct is malicious or egregious;
    • Equitable relief (e.g., constructive trust, tracing of assets, injunctions);
    • Attorney’s fees and costs if provided by statute or court.
  • Defenses and limits:
    • Good-faith conduct, independent transactions, or actions within lawful authority may be defenses;
    • Possible carve-outs for legitimate estate planning advice or actions by fiduciaries acting in good faith.
  • Scope of application:
    • Would apply to interference with testamentary dispositions (wills, codicils), dispositions under trusts, and potentially intestate succession.
  • Statute of limitations and procedural rules:
    • A bill of this type normally specifies a time limit for bringing suit (e.g., measured from discovery of interference or from probate), but the specific limitation period (if any) must be confirmed in the bill text.

Who would be affected

  • Potential plaintiffs: heirs, beneficiaries, devisees, legatees who allege they were deprived of an inheritance.
  • Potential defendants: third parties (non-fiduciaries), advisors, caregivers, caretakers, professionals (e.g., attorneys, financial advisors) alleged to have induced or caused the deprivation; actions by fiduciaries could be implicated if beyond lawful authority.
  • Estate administration: executors, administrators, and courts could see additional litigation in probate and post-probate matters.
  • Insurers and advisors: increased malpractice/liability exposure for professional advisors involved in estate changes.

Potential impacts

  • Could expand civil remedies available to persons alleging wrongful interference with inheritances, increasing probate-related litigation.
  • May incentivize more careful documentation and scrutineering of testamentary changes and advisor conduct.
  • Could raise liability and insurance costs for professionals who assist in estate planning or interact with vulnerable testators.

Legislative status and timeline

  • Introduced: March 5, 2025; referred to the Joint Committee on Judiciary (03/05/2025).
  • Public hearing held: March 10, 2025.
  • Filed with LCO: April 11, 2025.
  • Reported out of LCO / Joint Favorable: April 29, 2025. Tabled for House Calendar (House Calendar No. 505; File No. 805).
  • Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis: April 22, 2025 (noted 04/28/25).

Next steps / Where to find the full text and analyses

To determine the exact legal elements, remedies, limits, and timelines HB 7142 would establish, review:
- The full bill text on the Connecticut General Assembly / LCO website (File No. 805).
- Office of Legislative Research summary and Office of Fiscal Analysis fiscal note (referenced in the file history).
- Committee report and any drafting changes attached to the Joint Favorable report.

If you’d like, I can retrieve the bill text and draft a line-by-line summary of the actual statutory language and likely legal consequences.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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