Legal Opinion
Estate of Sykes
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Decided March 23, 1978No. 444PublishedCited by 42 opinions
1Opinion of the Court
OPINION OF THE COURT
ROBERTS, Justice.
We hold today that where a testator has not clearly expressed an intention to limit inheritance under his will to individuals of blood descent, it is presumed that he intended to include adopted children as beneficiaries of a bequest to “issue.”
On December 26, 1935, testator, John Sykes, executed a will in which he bequeathed part of his estate to his niece, Annis Kershaw Sykes, and the residue to Annis Kershaw Sykes and Girard Trust Company in trust for the benefit of Annis Kershaw Sykes for her life. The will empowered Annis Kershaw Sykes to withdraw in…
2Cases cited25 opinions
- Houston EstateSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1964
- Tafel EstateSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1972
- Estate of HeardCalifornia Supreme Court · 1957
- Cave's EstateSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1937
- In Re the Estate of CoeSupreme Court of New Jersey · 1964
20 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by42 opinions
- Robinson Township v. CommonwealthSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 2013
- Farmers Trust Co. v. BashoreSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1982
- Estate of FlinnSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1978
- Estate of TaylorSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1978
- Estate of McKennaSupreme Court of Pennsylvania · 1985
37 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.