Religious Discrimination

Religious Discrimination
question

I know 3 people who were discriminated against in their parents wills due to religious beliefs- all have trusts set up. All 3 are ethical, responsible adults whose parents were not in agreement with their religious affiliations.

answer

If the people are all adults their parents have the legal right to disinherit them if they so choose. There is no legal obligation to give an adult child an inheritance. The fact that the children are good people, and the parents merely do not approve of their lifestyle choices is unlikely to be a basis to challenge the will. However, it could be a gray area in that if the parents wills used the potential of a bequest and threat of denying it in a manner to endeavor to change the child's religious affiliation, there may be a public policy issue. You would need to consult a probate litigator for advise on this matter.

The entire issue is unfortunate as the pain and fracture to the families are likely to be significant. There are much better ways for families to deal with such concerns.

Our Consumer Webcasts and Blogs

Subscribe to our email list to receive information on consumer webcasts and blogs, for practical legal information in simple English, delivered to your inbox. For more professional driven information, please visit Shenkman Law to subscribe.

Ad Space