service of heirs

the process by which an heir acquired the right to an estate.  It started with the brieve ordering an inquest to determine who was next heir to the estate, followed by the retour of the inquest stating the heir’s right to succeed followed by his entry, (his formal acceptance by the superior of the estate).  It was called a ‘special service’ when the heir’s ancestor had been formerly infeft in the estate, that is, had had full legal possession of it by virtue of a sasine; if the heir’s ancestor was not infeft, then the process was called a ‘general service’.  Until the process of serving the heir had been gone through, he would be the apparent heir; see also heirs.