plaintiff's intestate law

[lada s]

Пожалуйста, помогите перевести "Plaintiff's intestate" - есть ли специальный юр. термин для этого словосочетания? можно ли это понять как "исковое заявление в связи с отсутствием завещания"?

Выражение встречается в следующем контексте: "Mr. Karlin," Perini said, ambling toward my side of the room, "why don't you tell us about the case of Hurley Y. Eddingfield?"
Karlin already had his notebook open...
"Plaintiff's intestate," he began. He got no further (...)
-`intestate' means that he didn't have a will. I see." Perini wagged his head.
"And who is this 'he,' Mr. Karlin?"(...)
"Does it make any difference to the outcome of the case?”
"I don't think so."
"Why not?"
"Because he's dead."
"If he's dead, how did he file a lawsuit?" (...)
"I thought it was the administrator who brought the suit."
из книги Scott Turow "One L"

Заранее спасибо

[d.]

plaintiff's intestate = plaintiff IS intestate
смотрим ниже - intestate' means that he didn't have a will
истец не [с]оставил завещания

[askandy]

intestate
1) a) (of a person) not having made a will b) (of property) not disposed of by will
2) a person who dies without having made a will