No Will? No Way!

Consider writing about:

What happens if someone dies without having created a will. Take your pick of several potential approaches for examining this issue, whether by presenting a cautionary tale (real-life or hypothetical) regarding the fate of an estate that lacks a will, or describing state-specific laws that pertain to such situations, or using the passing of a celebrity as a jumping-off point for describing the consequences of dying without a will. How are these types of situations likely to play out for dependents, other relatives, or other would-be heirs? What courses of action might affected parties pursue after they discover that the deceased left no will?