Ivan A. Vasnin, T. A. Novikova
The article examines the institution of unworthy heirs as regulated by Article 1117 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation. The main focus is placed on the contradiction between the statutory construction of heir unworthiness and the actual standard applied in judicial practice. The authors show that Article 1117 of the Civil Code establishes a complex legal composition, including intent, unlawfulness, the direction of actions, their connection with the inheritance result, and judicial confi rmation of the relevant circumstances. At the same time, judicial practice effectively shifts the focus from the heir’s purpose to the very fact of committing an intentional unlawful act. The article concludes that Article 1117 of the Civil Code should be clarifi ed to ensure legal certainty and uniformity of judicial practice.