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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hypersmurf" data-source="post: 1370539" data-attributes="member: 1656">This is addressed in a SF setting in both Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan saga (hypothetically), and David Weber's Honor Harrington series (practically).In the Vorkosigan book A Civil Campaign, [spoiler]it's known that the sister of a dead Count has travelled to Beta Colony, which specialises in advanced medical practices.  One of the theories proposed as to her possible intentions is that she's off to have her brother cloned, so he can 'inherit' the Countship, with herself declared legal guardian, thus preventing her nasty male cousin - technically her brother's heir, given that females can't inherit - from taking the position.In actuality, she's off to make herself eligible to inherit...[/spoiler]And in the Harrington series, [spoiler]Countess Harrington is believed dead, and her title passes to her cousin Devon.  Given that her seat in the House of Lords was never confirmed, the Queen has to throw her weight around a little to ensure that the cousin is seated.  And so, when Honor shows up alive a coupe of years later, the Queen is loathe to have Devon unconfirmed as the Earl... so she sidesteps the issue by leaving Devon as Earl Harrington, and making Honor a Duchess instead.But if different characters had been involved - if, for example, someone like an Earl North Hollow had shown alive up to find his brother bearing his title - things might not have been resolved quite so amicably...[/spoiler]In some ways, it's like the situation that might have arisen had Tom Hanks' character married Helen Hunt's character at the start of Cast Away.  [spoiler]When he comes back, and is declared no-longer-legally-dead, is he still married?  Is her second marriage valid?  Is she technically an accidental bigamist?Did his legal death terminate the legal marriage, and did his legal resurrection fail to reinstate it?[/spoiler]-Hyp.</blockquote>

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