Establishment of the Fact of Testator’s Dependency Relationships as a Means of Protection of Rights of Heirs

The article analyzes the institution of the establishment of the fact of an heir being dependent on the testator from the standpoint of its impact on inheritance rights. The authors study provisions of applicable laws that regulate the procedure for inheritance by persons dependent on the testator. The paper reviews positions of the supreme courts with regards to the definition of the dependence category and criteria for the determination of the fact of dependency relationships. Based on an analysis of materials of the judicial practice, the authors identify problems that arise during review of cases on the establishment of the fact of dependence of heirs and bring forward potential solutions.