Livsskifte

Livsskifte is a historical legal procedure used in Scandinavian countries, particularly Norway and Sweden, to divide and allocate property, land, and assets among heirs following a person's death. The term translates roughly to "division of life estate" or "life share" and represents an important aspect of inheritance law before modern reforms.

Traditionally, livsskifte involved the formal partition of a deceased person's estate, which could include farmland, houses, livestock, and other assets. The process aimed to ensure that each heir received their appropriate share and to prevent disputes among surviving family members. Livsskifte was typically conducted through a legal or administrative process, often involving local authorities or courts, and required detailed assessments of the estate.

In Norway, livsskifte was governed by laws such as the Livsskifteloven of 1893, which regulated how estates should be divided, ensuring equitable distribution according to inheritance rights. Similar regulations existed in Sweden, where the process was integrated into the broader inheritance and estate management system.

Over time, legal reforms and changes in societal structures led to the phasing out of livsskifte in favor of more modern inheritance laws and simpler estate settlement procedures. Today, livsskifte remains a historical term, relevant mainly for understanding historical inheritance practices and legal history in Scandinavia.

The concept highlights the evolution of property law in the region, marking a shift from traditional division practices towards standardized and codified inheritance regulations applicable in contemporary legal systems.