O'NEAL v. Wilkes

Fletcher, Justice.

In this virtual adoption action, a jury found that appellant Hattie O’Neal had been virtually adopted by the decedent, Roswell Cook. On post-trial motions, the court granted a judgment notwithstanding the verdict to appellee Firmón Wilkes, as administrator of Cook’s estate, on the ground that the paternal aunt who allegedly entered into the adoption contract with Cook had no legal authority to do so. We have *851•eviewed the record and conclude that the court correctly determined ;hat there was no valid contract to adopt.

O’Neal was born out of wedlock in 1949 and raised by her…