term:

Succeed

succeed vi

1 : to come next after another in office or position
2 a : to take something by succession [ed to his mother's estate]
b : to acquire the rights, obligations, and charges of a decedent in property comprising an estate [the heir, who accepts, is considered as having ed to the deceased from the moment of his death "Louisiana Civil Code"]
vt
1 : to follow in sequence and esp. immediately
2 : to come after as heir or successor

Source: Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law ©1996. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Published under license with Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.