Easley v. John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance

We are confronted with a constitutional challenge to a portion of our statutory scheme of distribution of intestate estates. Appellant contends that a statute requiring that, as a condition to an illegitimate child’s participation in the estate distribution, the father file an acknowledgment document in the probate court is constitutionally infirm. After careful study, we rule that the statutory scheme is constitutionally permissible.

Certain facts have been stipulated for this appeal. James Easley fathered two sons prior to his death. The appellant, Jeffrey P. Jackson, was born out of wedlock…