Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in California
Death without a will
Do you know of a case where an adopted adult, who had reunited with his natural father, died without a will and the natural father inherited all or part of the estate. The only other surviving relative is a maternal cousin.
2 Answers from Attorneys
Re: Death without a will
I personally do not know of any cases with those exact circumstances, but you might try legalnews.findlaw.com which is a legal research sight searchable by subject. I would start with wills and then paternal v. adopted relatives. Good luck.
Re: Death without a will
If the adopted adult was a resident of California, try looking at California Probate Code Section 6451. It gives the rules for inheritance in such cases.
Generally, the natural parent would not be entitled to the child's estate unless both of the following conditions are met:
1) The natural parent and adopted person lived together at any time as parent and child, or the natural parent was married to or cohabiting with the other natural parent at the time the person was conceived and died before the person's birth.
2) The adoption was by the spouse of either of the natural parents or after the death of either of the natural parents.
Related Questions & Answers
Looking for something else?
10,200 active attorneys ready to answer your legal questions today.
Featured Attorneys
Earn additional revenue and grow your business.
