Final answer:
Ms. Jones had died intestate, meaning she did not leave a will. Consequently, the distribution of her property will be determined by the state's intestacy laws, which outline a hierarchy of heirs such as spouse and children.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a deceased person dies without having a will, they are said to have died intestate. This means the courts will distribute the deceased's property in accordance with state intestacy laws. These laws specify the hierarchy of beneficiaries, such as the spouse, children, parents, and siblings.
When Ms. Jones died in an automobile accident, the courts had to distribute her property because she had died intestate. In such cases, if the deceased has no written will or trust, the court's role becomes to ensure that assets are passed down according to the intestate succession laws of the state they resided in. However, these laws can vary greatly from one state to another.
A will is a document that expresses an individual's wishes regarding the transfer of their assets after death. Without a will, the intentions of the deceased are unknown, and the public process, led by the courts, ensues for determining to whom the assets should be transferred.