In re Estate of William J. Hannifin

Justice LEE,

opinion of the Court:

T1 Max Hill, in his capacity as Special Representative of the Estate of William J. Hannifin, appeals from a district court order awarding Willis Nakai a portion of that estate. Though Nakai is neither biologically nor legally related to Hannifin, the district court determined that he was nonetheless entitled to inherit under the doctrine of equitable adoption. |

2 We'reverse. We hold that the doctrine of equitable adoption, first recognized in In re Williams' Estates, 10 Utah 2d 83, 348 P.2d 683 (1960), has been preempted by the detailed provisions of Utah's…