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Kurt R. Nilson's
Degrees of Kinship Chart
The degrees of kinship are used to determine the
"next of kin" or most closely related family members.
According to the rules of civil law, each person counts as one
degree.
To determine any person's degree of
relation to the decedent, begin with the decedent and follow the
line that connects the decedent with the other person. Each
person that must be passed through before reaching the final person
adds one degree to the total, including the final person.
Certain relations are linked to definitions of that title in
comparison to other relations.

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