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Is grandma entitled?

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AWOL350

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Michigan

I have a few questions regarding the estate of my girlfriends father whom recently passed. Her father left two life insurance policies and a large settlement from his workplace, none of them had beneficiaries listed. Now that he has passed, everything has gone into probate.

He left 4 children behind, one of which is not his by blood. Her father had a blood test done and proved the one wasn't his. Even though his name is on the birth certificate, is he still entitled to a share? Would it be worth contesting?

Also, one of her oldest brothers is telling her that their Grandma LEGALLY gets a share of the money, How can this be possible?
They are refusing to give us the lawyers/law firm info so we can contact them ourselves.

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks
 


anteater

Senior Member
He left 4 children behind, one of which is not his by blood. Her father had a blood test done and proved the one wasn't his. Even though his name is on the birth certificate, is he still entitled to a share? Would it be worth contesting?
Not certain who would be contesting what... Anyway, unless some respondent familiar with Michigan case law on the subject shows up, that is one that I think you will have to ask a Michigan attorney. My guess, and it is only that, is that the blood test would be sufficient to exclude that "child." However, the manner in which you word this is odd - saying that he had 4 children, but one actually is not his child.

Also, one of her oldest brothers is telling her that their Grandma LEGALLY gets a share of the money, How can this be possible?
Unless he had a will - and you do not mention one - I don't know. Michigan's intestate succession statute says:

700.2103 Share of heirs other than surviving spouse.
Any part of the intestate estate that does not pass to the decedent's surviving spouse under section 2102, or the entire intestate estate if there is no surviving spouse, passes in the following order to the following individuals who survive the decedent:

(a) The decedent's descendants by representation.

(b) If there is no surviving descendant, the decedent's parents equally if both survive or to the surviving parent.
....
 
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justalayman

Senior Member
a legal child is considered an heir. Unless paternity was disestablished at some point, the non-blood legal child would have the same standing as any blood related children. No other child of the parent has standing to dispute paternity.

was your father married to the mother at the time of conception and/or birth. If not, was the mother married to some other man at that time?

has anybody contested the paternity?


here is a fairly simple to read chart explaining the distribution is there is no will:

MICHIGAN INTESTATE SUCCESSION

Of course, if there is a will, the assets of the estate to wherever they are directed by that will.
 

anteater

Senior Member
I am still a bit puzzled by the OP's description of the relationship. But I seemed to recall something in EPIC about parent - child relationships under intestacy and went looking for it.

For what it is worth, if anything, in this situation:

700.2114 Parent and child relationship.

Sec. 2114.

(1) Except as provided in subsections (2), (3), and (4), for purposes of intestate succession by, through, or from an individual, an individual is the child of his or her natural parents, regardless of their marital status. The parent and child relationship may be established in any of the following manners:

(a) If a child is born or conceived during a marriage, both spouses are presumed to be the natural parents of the child for purposes of intestate succession. A child conceived by a married woman with the consent of her husband following utilization of assisted reproductive technology is considered as their child for purposes of intestate succession. Consent of the husband is presumed unless the contrary is shown by clear and convincing evidence. If a man and a woman participated in a marriage ceremony in apparent compliance with the law before the birth of a child, even though the attempted marriage may be void, the child is presumed to be their child for purposes of intestate succession.

(b) If a child is born out of wedlock or if a child is born or conceived during a marriage but is not the issue of that marriage, a man is considered to be the child's natural father for purposes of intestate succession if any of the following occur:

(i) The man joins with the child's mother and acknowledges that child as his child by completing an acknowledgment of parentage as prescribed in the acknowledgment of parentage act, 1996 PA 305, MCL 722.1001 to 722.1013.

(ii) The man joins the mother in a written request for a correction of certificate of birth pertaining to the child that results in issuance of a substituted certificate recording the child's birth.

(iii) The man and child have established a mutually acknowledged relationship of parent and child that begins before the child becomes age 18 and continues until terminated by the death of either.

(iv) The man is determined to be the child's father and an order of filiation establishing that paternity is entered as provided in the paternity act, 1956 PA 205, MCL 722.711 to 722.730.

(v) Regardless of the child's age or whether or not the alleged father has died, the court with jurisdiction over probate proceedings relating to the decedent's estate determines that the man is the child's father, using the standards and procedures established under the paternity act, 1956 PA 205, MCL 722.711 to 722.730.

(c) A child who is not conceived or born during a marriage is an individual born in wedlock if the child's parents marry after the conception or birth of the child.

(2) An adopted individual is the child of his or her adoptive parent or parents and not of his or her natural parents, but adoption of a child by the spouse of either natural parent has no effect on either the relationship between the child and that natural parent or the right of the child or a descendant of the child to inherit from or through the other natural parent. An individual is considered to be adopted for purposes of this subsection when a court of competent jurisdiction enters an interlocutory decree of adoption that is not vacated or reversed.

(3) The permanent termination of parental rights of a minor child by an order of a court of competent jurisdiction; by a release for purposes of adoption given by the parent, but not a guardian, to the family independence agency or a licensed child placement agency, or before a probate or juvenile court; or by any other process recognized by the law governing the parent-child status at the time of termination, excepting termination by emancipation or death, ends kinship between the parent whose rights are so terminated and the child for purposes of intestate succession by that parent from or through that child.

(4) Inheritance from or through a child by either natural parent or his or her kindred is precluded unless that natural parent has openly treated the child as his or hers, and has not refused to support the child.

(5) Only the individual presumed to be the natural parent of a child under subsection (1)(a) may disprove a presumption that is relevant to that parent and child relationship, and this exclusive right to disprove the presumption terminates on the death of the presumed parent.

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/%28S%28kowuzrzjp2ke3d55hqw0mf55%29%29/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectName=mcl-700-2114
 

AWOL350

Junior Member
Her father had contested paternity of that son before his death. The sons ex-guardians received legal papers stating that his father was UNKNOWN.

The parents were married at the time of his conception and birth.
 

justalayman

Senior Member
Her father had contested paternity of that son before his death. The sons ex-guardians received legal papers stating that his father was UNKNOWN.

The parents were married at the time of his conception and birth.
legal papers? what legal papers?

By virtue if the marriage, the non-blood child is legally an heir unless paternity is disestablished. So, unless a court formally acknowledged the lack of paternity and ordered terminating the decedents parental rights, he is still an heir.

You still haven't mentioned whether there is a will or not either. That will likely make a huge difference to anything as far as distribution of the estate.
 

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