J. Y. Interpretation No.  57  
Date 1956.01.06 
Issue：Upon the death or loss of inheritance right of an heir of the first order, may his lineal descendants inherit in subrogation? RELEVANT LAWS: Article 1138, 1140 and 1176 of the Civil Code
Holding：In terms of Article 1140 of the Civil Code, inheritance in subrogation
refers to the circumstance where an heir of the first order as provided in Article 1138 of the Civil Code has died or lost the right of inheritance before the initiation of the succession; his lineal descendants shall inherit in subrogation. Based on the interpretation application document, the adoptive daughter B of the ancestor A abandons the right of inheritance. B's surrender does not arise out of the prerequisite of inheritance in subrogation. According to Article 1138, Paragraph 1, of the Civil Code stating that the ancestor's children have the identical order of inheritance and Article 1176, Paragraph 1, of the Civil Code stating that where one of the heirs of the first order as provided in Article 1138 waives his or her right of inheritance, his or her successional portion accrues to the other heirs who inherit concurrently with him or her, therefore, under the circumstance that the adoptive daughter B and B's married daughter surrender their rights of inheritance legally, B's son is able to legally inherit the bequest of the ancestor as heir apparent rather than inheritance in subrogation.

附件：行政院函
一、據臺灣省政府呈請釋示養子女所生之子女可否繼承承領其母之養父所承領之公地疑義一案

二、查本案涉及民法上養子女之子女可否享有代位繼承權之法律問題按養子女之子女可否享有代位繼承權民法繼承編尚乏明文可資依據僅於民法第一一四二條養子女之繼承順序與婚生子女同規定養子女繼承順序之效力又民法第一一四零條規定．．第一順序之繼承人有於繼承開始前死亡或喪失繼承權者由其直系血親卑親屬代位繼承其應繼分是養子女之子女可否享有代位繼承權胥視其與養子女之養父母是否有直系血親卑親屬之關係以為斷第參照貴院院字第一三八二號解釋民法第一一四零條所謂代位繼承其應繼分者以被繼承人之直系血親為限養子女之子女對於養子女之養父母既非直系血親卑親屬當然不得適用該條文之規定觀之養子女之子女與養子女之養父母既非直系血親關係其無代位繼承權至為明顯惟依貴院院字第二七四七號解釋民法第一零七七條所謂養子女與養父母之關係及民法親屬編施行法第九條所謂嗣子女與其所後父母之關係皆指親屬關係而言婚生子女與其父母之親屬關係為直系血親關係養子女或嗣子女與其養父母或所後父母之親屬關係依上開各條規定既與婚生子女與其父母之親屬關相同自亦為直系血親關係及院解字第三零零四號解釋養父母係養子女直系血親尊親屬養父母之血親亦即為養子女之血親觀之養子女與養父母既具有直接血親關係則養子女之子女可自亦為養子女之養父母之直系血親卑親屬此為法學上所稱之擬制血親其可享有代位繼承權似屬應無疑義綜上所述養子女可否享有代位繼承權貴院前後解釋不盡相同適用時不免發生疑義且均係行憲前之解釋

三、依大法官會議釋字第十八號解釋中央或地方機關對於行憲前司法院所為之解釋發生疑義聲請解釋時得認為合於司法院大法官會議規則第四條之規定本案養子女之子女可否享有代位繼承權函請查照再行統一解釋見復為荷原抄附臺灣省政府呈

一、據本省苗栗縣政府（四四）栗府地四字第一三一八一號呈為承領公地農戶詹○喜死亡無配偶遺有養女詹○妺一人亦無配偶惟已生有二女四男（戶籍稱謂欄註為被繼承人之孫）該詹○妹及已出嫁之女二人願被繼承人所承領土地之繼承權拋棄由詹○妹所生之子詹○龍等四人申請繼承究應由詹○妹繼承抑或由其養女所生之子詹○龍等四人繼承承領請釋復等情

二、查養子女之子女對於養子女之養父母非直系血親卑親屬（司法院二十四年院字第一三八二號解釋）本案法定繼承人詹○妺為被繼承人詹阿喜之養女該詹○妹既已拋棄繼承擬由其非婚生之子繼承可否依民法第一零六五條第二項規定視為婚生子女而援用鈞院四十四年四月九日四十四臺內字第二二七三號令規定由詹○龍等四人繼承承領不無疑義

三、理合呈請核釋示遵

四、副本抄發苗栗縣政府