The laws of intestacy exist in every state and take effect whenever a person dies without a Last Will and Testament or where a Last Will and Testament is judicially voided. The purpose of the intestacy laws, which distribute inherited wealth according to the table of consanguinity (closest biological heirs), is to protect the family of the deceased. The law presumes that the deceased relative intends to distribute his or her wealth to his or her loved ones. Many legal observers have criticized the probate laws of the states, including Florida, for failing to adapt to our changing society and the nuclear family. For many, the intestate system is flawed because it fails to consider the effect upon people who cannot get married: those persons in same sex partnerships.