skifte

Skifte is a term used in Denmark and Norway to describe the legal process of settling a deceased person’s estate and distributing assets to heirs and creditors. The process typically starts with an inventory of all assets and debts and concludes with the division of property in accordance with a will, inheritance law, or court order. Proceedings may be conducted as a simple or more complex estate settlement, depending on the estate’s size, the presence of a will, and any disputes among heirs.

Historically, the term also referred to land reform processes in Denmark and Norway during the 18th to 19th centuries. Known as land consolidation or field skifte, these reforms aimed to reorganize scattered arable land and common fields into individually owned parcels to improve agricultural efficiency. The procedures involved surveys, redistribution of land, and changes to property boundaries and rights, often overseen by authorities or land commissions.

Today, skifte remains most commonly associated with estate settlement in Nordic legal contexts, while the agricultural sense is primarily of historical interest in Denmark and Norway. The precise meaning and procedures of skifte can vary by country, legal tradition, and historical period.