Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE) Practice Exam

Who qualifies as a collateral descendant?

1. A direct descendant like a child

2. A relative that is not a direct descendant

3. A person related by marriage

4. A legal heir of the deceased

The correct answer is: A relative that is not a direct descendant

A collateral descendant is someone who is related to a deceased individual but does not descend directly from them, meaning they share a common ancestor without being in a direct line of descent. This typically includes relatives such as siblings, cousins, aunts, and uncles. In the context of this question, the designation of a collateral descendant aligns with option B, as it emphasizes the nature of the relationship as being non-linear. A direct descendant, such as a child, comes directly from the individual, and therefore does not fit the definition of collateral. Similarly, while a legal heir and a relative related by marriage may have connections to the deceased, their classifications do not necessarily pertain to the specific context of collateral descendants, which is strictly about non-direct lineage. Hence, option B is the most accurate representation of what constitutes a collateral descendant.