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A Critical Research Agenda For Wills, Trusts And Estates, Bridget J. Crawford
A Critical Research Agenda For Wills, Trusts And Estates, Bridget J. Crawford
Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications
The law of wills, trusts, and estates could benefit from consideration of its development and impact on people of color; women of all colors; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals; low-income and poor individuals; the disabled; and nontraditional families. One can measure the law's commitment to justice and equality by understanding the impact on these historically disempowered groups of the laws of intestacy, spousal rights, child protection, will formalities, will contests, and will construction; the creation, operation and construction of trusts; fiduciary administration; creditors' rights; asset protection; nonprobate transfers; planning for incapacity and death; and wealth transfer taxation. This Article …
A Suggested Solution To The Problem Of Intestate Succession In Nontraditional Family Arrangements: Taking The "Adoption" (And The Inequity) Out Of The Doctrine Of "Equitable Adoption", Irene D. Johnson
Elisabeth Haub School of Law Faculty Publications
Part I of this Article examines the doctrine of equitable adoption, focusing on its deficiencies in addressing some of the issues of the modern family. Part II considers the specific issue of intestate succession, the way that the equitable adoption doctrine falls short in providing a consistent rational result of heirship in the modern family, and the reasons for expanding inheritance rights to “family members” claiming an intestate share despite the fact that they were not born into or legally adopted into the family arrangement. Part III proposes answers to these difficult problems, suggesting a statutory provision defining “child,” for …