Glossary for A Death in Your Family

Autopsy: A specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present.

Assets: What you own. Assets can include things such as money, land, investments, and personal possessions such as jewelry and furniture.

Coroner: A coroner is a government official who investigates human deaths, determines cause of death, and issues death certificates.

Death Certificate: Issued by vital statistics that declares the date, location and cause of a person’s death as later entered in an official register of deaths.

Disposition Permit: A document which outlines how human remains will be disposed of.

Estate: All of the property and belongings you own at your death. The estate does not include property you own with someone else in joint tenancy, or joint bank accounts.

Hospice: Facility that provides special care for people who are near the end of life.

Medical Certificate: A legal document issued by a qualified medical practitioner certifying the death of a person.

Morgue: A place in which dead bodies are temporarily kept until identified and claimed or until arrangements for burial have been made.

Next-of-kin: A person’s closest living blood relative or relatives.

Obituary Notice:A published notice of a death, sometimes with a brief biography of the deceased.

Palliative Care: Care which improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing life-threatening illness.

Pathologist: A doctor who specializes in medical diagnosis.

RRSP: A Registered Retirement Savings Plan or RRSP is an account that provides tax benefits for saving for retirement in Canada.

Will: A document, conforming to the requirements of British Columbia law, that contains directions for the disposal or distribution of a person’s assets after his or her death.

Under the old Divorce Act, the schedule of a parent's time with their children under an order or agreement, replaced with "parenting time" and "contact" in the new Divorce Act. Access usually referred to the schedule of the parent with the least amount of time with the child. See "contact," "custody" and "parenting time."

In law, (2) a lawsuit, an action, or a cause of action, or (2) the wrongful act of another which gives rise to a claim for relief. See "action" and "cause of action."

Real property; a parcel of real property and the buildings upon it. See also "chattel," "ownership" and "possession."

Something which can be owned. See "chattels" and "real property."

In law, all of the personal property and real property that a person owns or in which they have an interest, usually in connection with the prospect or event of the person's death.

A form of property co-ownership in which each joint tenant has a right of ownership of the whole property that is indistinct from the ownership rights of the other joint tenants. In other words, each joint tenant has a right to the whole property. See "tenancy in common."

In law, (1) a written argument, or (2) a memorandum of law. A brief is usually presented to a judge as a summary of an argument or the law on a particular issue. Curiously, briefs are rarely brief.

In law, (1) a lawyer's bill to their client or a statement, or (2) a person's recollection of events.