The estate passes to lawful heirs according to which set of laws?

The estate passes to lawful heirs according to the Laws of Descent and Distribution, which are statutory guidelines that dictate how a deceased person's assets are to be distributed when they die intestate, meaning without a will. These laws are designed to ensure a fair and orderly transfer of property to heirs based on their relationship to the deceased, typically prioritizing immediate family members, such as spouses and children.

Property laws, while they govern the ownership and transfer of property, do not specifically address the sequence of who inherits an estate after death. Trust laws pertain to the legal arrangements made during a person's life regarding the management of their assets, but they do not apply in cases of intestacy where no trust is established. Family laws cover matters such as marriage, divorce, and child custody, but do not directly dictate the distribution of an estate upon death. Thus, the Laws of Descent and Distribution are the correct framework used to determine the beneficiaries of an estate when a will is not present.