Dismukes v. Carletta

Ness, Justice.

This is a declaratory judgment action, the sole issue being whether an adopted child may inherit under a will.

Appellant’s mother (and respondent’s natural grandmother), by will dated July 18, 1962, left one-half of her residuary estate, in trust for her grandson, Horace Eugene Dismukes, Jr. In 1969, the child was adopted by his mother’s second husband, and his name was thereby changed to Eugene Peter Carletta. When the natural grandmother died in 1973, her executors distributed one-half of her residuary estate to the South Carolina National Bank, as Trustee for Horace Eugene…