Matter of Estate of Edwards

MEYER, Justice.

We are presented on this appeal with a single question of first impression: whether two natural children of a testatrix, born of a previous marriage and adopted with her consent by her second spouse, are considered her lineal descendants by the second marriage for the purpose of determining the second spouse’s distributive share upon his dissent from testatrix’s will pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 30-3(b). The majority of the panel below answered this question in the affirmative, and we affirm.

Virginia Duncan Edwards (Virginia) died testate on 14 October 1983. She was survived by her…