A deceased person who treats another as his or her child, assumes responsibility for that person's maintenance, and leads the person to believe they are the deceased's child, has a moral responsibility to make provision for that person in the deceased's will, even where DNA testing establishes the person is not the deceased's biological child. The deceased's failure to pursue available DNA testing, despite doubts about paternity, supports the inference that the relationship was maintained regardless of biological connection. In large estates with no competing claims, the court will adopt a generous approach to quantum, including provision for housing, living expenses, education, contingencies, and the claimant's cultural obligations to support extended family members.
The full text is available to signed-in members, including the 49 later cases that cite this judgment.
1 of the 49 citing cases carry a classified treatment. How each court treated it is available to signed-in members.