Laglottsskyddet : Ett nödvändigt skydd eller ett föråldrat system?

Sammanfattning: This paper deals with the legal situation surrounding the legal statutory portion. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the statutory portions function in our society, does the rule fit into today’s society? To carry out this study, the authors analyzed the legal situation accordingly to the legal dogmatic method. Emphasis has been placed especially on laws but also non-government bills and doctrine.The statutory portion was introduced in the Swedish system, as early as in the 17th century. Its primary purpose then was to ensure a heritage to the descendants’ heirs. At this time most people died at a young age and their children were often young and incapable of supporting themselves. Today, it is more unusual to leave minor children, and it its more common to die of old age with already adult chil-dren. The statutory portion, which has as a purpose to ensure that parts of the de-scendants inheritance shall rightly fall to its heirs, is found today in 7 chapter 1§ ÄB .In recent years, a large number of non-government bills and government bills has been presented with proposals for the abolition of the statutory portion. Different writers express their view on the statutory portion as outdated and that the system does not fit into our society. Those who find the statutory portion outdated also express the meaning that statutory portion stands in conflict against both property law and the descendants last will.The authors consider the need for an investigation on the matter to determine whether the legal portion is outdated and no longer fulfills its purpose, or if it still is adapted to our modern society.