In th e S u p re m e Co u rt o f Ge o rg ia

De c id e d: Ju n e 2 9, 2 0 1 5

S 1 5 A0 3 9 5 . JOHNS ON v

. ROGERS

.

B L ACKW EL L , Ju stic e

.

Lillia n a n d Jim m ie Le e Jo h n so n we re m a rrie d fo r 3 7 y e a rs, a n d to g e th e r,

th e y ra ise d h e r g ra n d n ie c e

, Je ss i c a R o ge rs. In 2 00 5, Ms. Jo h n so n m a de a will

th a t in c lu d e d a

n u m be r o f b e q u e sts to Ro ge rs. 1 Ms. Jo h n so n d ie d in 2 0 1 1 , a n d

Mr. Jo h nso n th e n so u g h t to p ro b a te h e r will. Ro g e rs file d a c a v e a t, a sse rtin g th a t

sh e h a d b e e n a do pte d b y Ms. Jo h n so n a fte r th e w ill wa s m a d e

, wh ic h wo u ld

e n title h e r to a

n in te sta te sh a re o f t h e e sta te u n d e r OCGA § 53 -4 -4 8 (c ). 2

1 Under the term s of the will, Ms. Johnson lef t her real property to Mr. Johnson, and

she lef t a contingent, rem a i n d e r interest in her real property to Rogers. M s. Johnson lef t

specif ic item s of her personal p roperty to Rogers and others. M s. Johnson lef t h er residuary

estate to Mr. Johnson, and she gave Rogers a contingent interest in the residuary estate.

2 Under OCGA § 5 3-4-48 (a), the happening of certain events

— the m a r riage of the

testator, the birth of a child to the testator, or t he adoption o f a child by the testator

— af ter

“the m aking of a w ill in w hich no provision i s m ade in contem plation of such event” results

in a “revocation of the will[

, but] only t o the extent provided in [ OCGA § 53-4-48 (c)].”

OCGA § 53-4-48 (c) provides as f ollows:

If the will was m ade prior to a n event specif ied in s ubsection (a) o f this Code

section, and does not contain a provision i n contem plation of such an e vent,

the subsequent spouse or child shall re ceive the share of the e state he or s he

would have received i f the testator had died intestate. S uch share shall be p aidAlth ou g h Ro g e rs wa s un a ble to p o in t to a n y sta tu to ry a d o p tio n b y Ms. Jo h n so n

,

sh e c la im e d n o n e th e le ss th a t sh e h a d b e e n a do p te d p u rsu an t to th e e q u itab le

d o c trin e o f “ v irtu a l a do ptio n .” Th e p r o b a te c o u rt a g re e d th a t Ro g e rs wa s

“ v irtu a lly a d o p te d ” b y Ms. Jo h n so n a fte r sh e m a d e h e r will, a n d so

, th e p ro b a te

c o u rt a d m itte d th e will to p ro ba te

, b u t su b je c t to Ro g e rs ta k in g a n in te sta te sh a re

o f th e e sta te

. M r. Jo h n so n a p p e a ls, a n d he a rg u e s th a t th e d o c t rin e of v irtu a l

a d o p tio n h a s n o a

pp lic a tio n in a c a se in wh ic h th e d e c e de n t d isp o se d o f h e r

e n tire e sta te by w ill. We a g re e

, a n d f o r th a t re a so n, a lth o u g h we a ffirm th e

a d m issio n o f th e will to p ro b a te

, w e re v e rse th e ju dg m e n t th a t R o g e rs is e n title d

to a n in te sta te sh a re

.

“ Virtu a l a d o ptio n is a n e q u itab le re m e d y u tiliz e d wh e n th e c o n d u c t o f th e

p a rtie s c re a te s a n im

p lie d a d o p tio n with o u t a c o u rt o rd e r.” Mo rg a n v

. H o wa rd

,

2 8 5 Ga

. 5 1 2

, 5 1 2 (1 ) (6 7 8 S E2 d 8 8 2 ) (2 0 0 9 ) (c ita tio n o m itte d ). T h is Co u rt first

f r o m the n et residuum rem aining af ter all d ebts and expenses o f

adm inistration, i ncluding taxes, have been paid. If the residuum proves to be

insuf f icient, then testam entary gif ts shall abate in the m anner p rovided in

subsection (b) of Code Section 53-4-63. Any bequest in the will in f avor of the

subsequent spouse o r c h i l d s hall b e given ef f ect and shall count toward the

intestate share. If the bequest equals or exceeds t h e i n testate share, then the

subsequent s pouse or child shall r e c e ive t he bequest in l ieu of the intestate

share provided by

this subsection.

2re c o g n iz e d th e do c trin e o f v irtu a l a d o p tio n in C ra wfo rd v

. W ilso n, 1 3 9 Ga

. 6 5 4

,

6 5 4 (1 ) (7 8 S E 30 ) (1 9 1 3 ), n o tin g th a t “ [a ] pa ro l o b lig a tio n b y a pe rso n to a d o p t

th e c h ild o f a n o th e r a s h is own

, . . . a c te d up o n b y a ll p a rtie s c o n c e rn e d fo r m a n y

y e a rs a n d d u rin g th e ob lig o r’s life

, m a y b e e n fo rc e d in e q u ity u po n th e d e a th o f

th e o b lig o r, b y d e c re e in g th e c h ild e n title d a s a c h ild to th e pro p e rty o f t h e

o b lig o r, un d isp o se d o f b y will.” As we re c e n tly e xp la in e d

, th e d oc trin e o f v irtu a l

a d o p tio n “ is a

p p lie d on ly a fte r th e d e a th o f th e pe rso n w h o a gre e d to a d o p t th e

c h ild

. . . a nd wh e n th e re h a s be e n n o le g a l (sta tu to ry ) a d o p tio n

. Th e c h ild

, wh o

is o fte n a n a d u lt b y t h a t t i m e

, is a llo w e d to in v o k e th e d o c trin e o f v irtu a l

a d o p tio n to a v o i d a n u n fa ir re su lt fro m th e a p p lic a tio n o f in te sta c y sta tu te s.”

S a n de rs v

. Rile y

, 2 9 6 Ga

. 6 9 3

, 6 9 8 (2 ) ( 7 7 0 S E 2 d 5 7 0) (2 01 5) (c ita tio n a n d

p u n c tu a tio n o m itte d ). In d e e d

, th e p u rp o se o f virtu a l a d o p tio n is “ [t] o c o rre c t th e

in ju stic e th a t wo u ld re su lt we re th e in te sta c y la w s wo o d e n ly a p plie d,” a n d “ [t] h e

c o u rts h a v e tra d itio n a lly lim ite d th e d o c t r i n e t o n a r r o w c irc u m sta n c e s, re a so n in g

th a t th e a d o p tio n sta tu te s a re in d e ro g a tio n o f th e c o m m o n la w a n d th us p ro v id e

th e e xc lu siv e m e a n s fo r [e q u it a b l y ] e ffe c tin g a n a d o ptio n or o b ta in in g its

b e n e fits.” Ja n E l l e n Re in

, “ Re la tiv e s b y Blo o d

, Ad o ptio n

, a n d Asso c ia tio n : Wh o

S h o u ld Ge t Wh a t a n d W h y ,” 3 7 Va n d

. L. R e v

. 7 11

, 7 6 7 (VII) (1 9 8 4 ). Se e a lso

3We lc h v

. We lc h

, 2 6 5 Ga

. 8 9

, 9 0 (4 53 S E2 d 4 4 5 ) (1 9 9 5 ) (“ [v ] irtu a l a d o p tio n is

n o t a d o c trin e to b e e m

p lo y e d b ro a d ly ” ).

To e sta b lish a v irtu a l a d o p tio n

, Ge o rg ia h a s lo n g re q u ire d a t le a st so m e

sh o win g o f a

n a g re e m e n t b e twe e n th e na tu ra l an d a d o p tiv e pa re nts, a se v e ra n c e

o f th e a c tu a l re la tio nsh ip o f p a re n t a n d c h ild a s be twe e n th e c h ild a nd th e n a tu ra l

p a re n ts, th e e sta b lish m e n t o f su c h a re la tio n sh ip b e twe e n th e c h ild a n d th e

a d o p tiv e p a re n ts, a

n d th e in te sta c y o f th e a d o p tiv e p a re n t. Mo rg a n, 28 5 Ga

. a t

5 1 3 (3 ), (4 ); L e e v

. Gu rle y

, 26 0 Ga

. 2 3

, 2 4 (1 ) (3 8 9 S E2 d 3 3 3 ) (1 9 9 0 ); W illia m s

v

. Mu rra y

, 2 3 9 Ga

. 2 7 6

, 2 7 6 (2 3 6 S E2 d 6 2 4 ) (1 9 77 ). “ T h ese e le m e n ts,

p a rtic u la rly th e re q u ire m e n t of in te sta c y

, lim it th e c irc u m sta n c e s u n d e r wh ic h

th e d o c trin e m a

y b e a p p l i e d

. ” L a n k fo rd v

. W rig ht, 4 89 S E2 d 6 04

, 6 0 7 (N.C.

1 9 9 7). Alth ou g h th e Ge o rg ia c o u rts h a v e in te rp re te d th e e q u itab le p rin c ip le o f

v irtu a l a d o p tio n “ o n nu m e ro us o c c a sio n s, th e y h a v e n e ve r e x te n d e d it b e y o n d

th e in te sta c y situ a tio n fo u n d in Cra wfo rd .” Elliso n v. T h o m p so n

, 2 4 0 Ga

. 5 9 4

,

5 9 6 (2 4 2 S E2 d 9 5 ) (1 9 7 8 ). S e e a lso P rin c e v

. Bla c k

, 2 5 6 Ga

. 7 9

, 80 (3 4 4 S E2 d

4 1 1 ) (1 9 8 6 ) (v irtu a l a d o p tio n a p p lie s “ [i] n situ a tio n s in w h ic h [a d o p t i v e ] p a r e n t s

d ie in te sta te a fte r th e y ha v e m a d e a n a g re e m e n t to a d o p t th e c h ild an d th e o th e r

e le m e n ts a re e sta b lish e d ” ). As a re su lt, th is Co urt h a s p re v io u sly d e c id e d th a t,

4wh e re a will g iv e s a ll o f th e re a l a n d p e rso na l p ro p e rty o f th e a lle g e d a d o p tiv e

p a re n ts to so m e o n e o th e r th a n th e a l l e g e d v irtu a l a d o p te e

, e x c e p t fo r a c e rta in

sp e c ific b e q u e st of p e rso n a l pro p e rty

, th e re n o lo n ge r re m a in s in th e e sta te a n y

p r o p e rty su bje c t to e n fo rc e m e n t o f th e v irtu a l a d o p tio n c la im

. Ba n e s v

.

De rric o tte

, 2 1 5 Ga

. 8 9 2

, 8 9 6 (2 ) (1 1 4 S E2 d 1 2 ) (1 96 0) (e m p h a siz in g th a t th e

v irtu a l a do p te e is o nly e ntitle d to p ro p e rty “‘ u n d isp o se d o f b y will ’” (c ita tio n s

o m itte d ; e m

p ha sis in orig in a l)). S e e a lso Ez e ll v

. Mo b le y

, 1 6 0 Ga

. 8 72

, 8 7 2 (2 )

(1 2 9 S E 5 3 2 ) (1 9 2 5 ) (v irtu a l a d op te e is e n title d to “th e p ro p e rty o f th e o b lig o r

if th e la tte r d ie s with o u t d i s p o sin g o f h is p ro p e rty b y will” (c ita tio n s o m itte d ;

e m p h a sis su pp lie d )).

Th is in te sta c y re q u ire m e n t is c om p le t e l y co n siste n t with th e la w o f

e q u itab le o r v irtu a l a d o p tio n in o th e r sta te s. “ Alm o st e x c lu siv e ly

, th e a p p l i c a t i o n

o f th e do c trin e h a s b e e n lim ite d to in te sta te es t a t e s

. It g e n e ra lly h a s no t b e e n

a p p lie d to te sta te e sta te s

. . . b u t o n ly to in te sta te e sta te s wh e re th e d e c e d e n t’s

in te nt is un k no wn

. ” E sta te o f S e a d e r, 7 6 P 3d 1 23 6, 1 2 4 1 (Wy o

. 20 0 3 ) (c ita tio n s

o m itte d ). S e e a lso Elliso n

, 2 4 0 Ga

. a t 59 6 (“ Oth e r ju risd ic tio ns wh ic h re c o g n iz e

th is p rin c ip le a lso li mi t i t s a p p lic a tio n to th e Cra wfo rd situ a tio n .” ) (c ita tio n

o m itte d ); La n k fo rd

, 4 8 9 S E2 d a t 6 0 7 (“ [T] h e d o c trin e a c ts o n ly to re c og n iz e th e

5in h e rita n c e rig h ts o f a c h i l d wh o se [a d op tiv e ] p are n ts die d in te sta te

. . . . Th e

d o c trin e is in v o k e d fo r th e so le b e n e fit o f th e [a d o p tiv e ] c hild in d e te rm in in g

h e irsh ip u p o n th e in te sta te d e a th o f th e p e rso n or p e rso n s c o n tra c tin g to a d o p t.” ).

Oth e rwise

, “ th e re su lt m a y n e g a te b o th le g isla tiv e a n d te sta m e n ta ry in te n t .”

S e a d e r, 7 6 P 3 d a t 1 2 4 5 -1 2 4 6 (fo o tn o te o m itte d). “ Th e e ffe c t o f a p ro m ise to

a d o p t a n d th e a

p p lic a tio n o f th e p rin c ip le of e q u itab le a d op tio n are re le v a n t o n ly

wh en t h e re is n o c o n tra c t to m a k e a will an d th e a d o p te d c h ild c la im s u n d e r a

sta tu te o f d istrib u tio n .” 7 Willisto n o n Co n tra c ts § 1 6 :2 1 ( 4 t h e d

. ) (c ita tio n s

o m itte d ).

In lig h t o f th is lo n g sta n din g a n d c o n siste n t a u th ority in Ge o rg ia and o th e r

ju risd ic tio n s, on ly a c le a r le g isla tiv e d ire c t i o n c o uld a b ro g a te th e ru le th a t v irtu a l

a d o p tio n re q u ire s in te sta c y

. “Th e Ge n e ra l Asse m b ly p r o p e rly c a n

, o f c o u rse

,

e n a c t le g isla tio n th a t d e p a rts fro m t h e c o m m o n la w, b u t to th e e x te n t th a t

sta tu to ry te x t c a

n be a s re a so n a

b ly un d e r s t oo d to c o n fo rm to th e c o m m o n la w

a s to d e p a rt fro m it, th e c o u rts u su a lly p re su m e th a t t h e l e g i sla tu re m e a n t to

a d h e re to th e c o m m o n la w.” Ma y v. S ta te

, 2 9 5 Ga

. 3 8 8

, 3 9 7 (7 61 S E2 d 3 8 )

(2 0 1 4 ) (c ita tio n o mi t t e d ). Th e p ro b a te c o u rt a c k no wle d g e d th e se ttle d

u n d e rsta n d in g th a t v irtu a l a d o p tio n re qu ire s in te sta c y

, b u t th a t m a d e se n se

, th e

6p ro b a te c o u rt sa id

, o n ly fo r so lo n g a s th e la w p ro v id e d t h a t th e a d o p tio n o f a

c h ild su b se q u e n t to th e m a kin g o f a will with o u t c on te m p la tio n o f th e a d o p tio n

re v o ke d th e a n te c e d e n t will a lto g e th e r, le a v in g th e m a k e r o f th e will in te sta te

.

P r i o r to 2 00 2

, th e la w d id p ro v id e th a t a su b se q u e n t a do ptio n wo u ld re v o k e a

will, se e Th o rn to n v. An d e rso n

, 2 0 7 G a

. 7 1 4

, 7 18 (6 4 S E 2 d 1 8 6 ) (1 9 5 1 ), a n d

d u rin g th a t tim e

, th e p ro b a te c o u rt sa id

, q u e stio n s o f v irtu a l a d o p tio n “fre q u e n tly

a ro se in th e fo rm

o f a c a v e a t to a

[w] ill,” in c a se s in wh ic h a fin d in g o f v irtu a l

a d o p tio n wo u ld “ re su lt in in te sta c y .” In 2 0 0 2

, h o we v e r, OCGA § 53 -4 -4 8 wa s

a m e n d e d

, a

n d a s a re su lt o f th a t a m e n d m e n t, th e la w n o lo n g e r p ro v id e s fo r th e

re v o c a tio n o f a n a nte c e d e n t w ill u p o n t h e s u b se q u e nt a d o p tio n o f a c h ild

, a n d

it no w p ro vid e s o n ly th a t a la te r-a d o p te d c h ild is e ntitle d to a n in te sta te sh a re o f

th e e sta te

. S e e O CGA § 5 3

- 4 -4 8 (c ). T he 2 0 0 2 a m e n d m e nt, th e pro b a te c o urt

c o n c lu d e d

, d id a wa y with th e in te sta c y e le m e n t o f v i r tu a l a d o p tio n

. We disa g re e

.

Co n tra ry to th e a n a ly sis o f th e p r o b a t e c o u rt, th e d o c trin e o f v irtu a l

a d o p tio n d id n o t “fre q u e n tly a r[i] se in th e fo rm of a c a v e a t to a [w] ill” th a t c o u ld

“ re su lt in in te sta c y .” Virtu a l a d o p tio n c a n n o t itse lf fo rm t h e b a sis fo r a c a v e a t

o r a fin d in g o f in t e sta c y

. C e rta in ly

, a p e rso n m a y a lle g e a n d p ro v e h e r v irtu a l

a d o p tio n in c on n e c tio n with a c a ve a t, b ut o n ly to sh o w th a t sh e is a n h e ir-a t-la w

7a n d h a s a n in te re st in th e e sta te so a s to e sta b lish he r sta n d in g to c o n te st th e

p r o b a t e o f a will o n a p ro pe r g ro u nd lik e m e n ta l in c om p e te n c e o r u n d u e

in flu e n c e

. S e e Ez e ll, 1 60 Ga

. a t 8 7 2 -8 73 (3

, 4, 5 ). T h a t p ro po sitio n

, ho we ve r,

is p e rfe c tly c o n siste n t with th e ru le th a t v irtu a l a d o p tio n c a n a rise o n ly wh e n th e

v irtu a l p a re n t d i e s i n t e sta te

. If th e c a v e a t to th e will is su c c e ssfu l, th e n th e

re q u ire m e n t o f in te sta c y h a s b e e n m e t.

No th in g su g g e sts th a t th e 20 02 a m e n d m e n t o f O CG A § 5 3 -4 -4 8 wa s

in te nd e d to a lte r th e la w o f v irtu a l a d o p tio n in a n y wa y

. Th e o ld la w p ro v id in g

th a t a su bse q u e n t a d o p tio n wo u ld re v o k e a n a n te c e d e n t will wa s n e v e r a p p lie d

to a v irtu a l a do ptio n

, a nd th e re is n o re a so n to th in k th a t OCGA § 5 3 -4 -4 8

, e v e n

a s a m e nd e d in 2 0 0 2

, is m e a n t to a p p ly to a n y “ a d op tio n ” o th e r th an a sta tu to ry

a d o p tio n

. T o t h e c o n tra ry

, th e v e ry u se o f th e te rm “ a d o p tio n ” in th e sta tu te

su g g e sts th a t it do e s n o t c o nc e rn a n y “ v irtu a l a d o p t i o n .” De sp ite its n a m e

,

v irtu a l a d o p tio n “ b e a rs a lm o st n o re la tio n sh ip to a sta tu to ry le ga l a d o p tio n ,” a s

it “ d o e s n ot re su lt in a le g a l a d op tio n o r th e c re a tio n o f a l e g al p a r e n t-c h ild

re la tio nsh ip .” S a n d e rs, 2 9 6 Ga

. a t 69 9 & n .3 (2 ) (c ita tio n s an d p u n c tu a tio n

o m itte d ). Be c a

u se “ [v ] irtu a l a d o p tio n is n o t a d op tio n ,” id

., it do e s no t c om e

with in th e o rd in a ry m e a n in g o f th e te rm “ a d o p tio n .” Se e De a l v

. C o le m a n

, 2 9 4

8Ga

. 1 7 0

, 1 7 2 (1 ) (a ) (7 5 1 S E2 d 3 3 7 ) (2 01 3) (“ we m u st a ffo rd th e sta tu to ry te x t

its ‘p la in a n d o rd in a ry m e a n in g ’” ) (c ita tio n om itte d ). M o re o v e r, OCGA § 5 3 -4

-

4 8 a p p lie s o nly if th e a d o p tio n (lik e th e m a rria g e o f th e te sta to r o r th e b irth o f

h e r c h ild ) is in a c e rta in te m p o ra l re la tio n sh ip to th e m a k in g o f t h e w i l l

. Bu t

v irtu a l a do p tio n is n o t so m e th in g th a t is c o mp l e te b e fo re o r a fte r a p a rtic u la r

d a te du rin g th e life o f th e a do p tiv e p a re n t. S e e S an d e r s

, 2 9 6 Ga

. a t 6 9 9 (2 )

(“ Virtu a l a d o p tio n is a p o sth u m o u s le g a l fic tio n

, a n a m e g iv e n to a sta tu s a risin g

fro m a n d c re a te d b y a c o n tra c t wh e re o n e ta k e s a n d a g re e s to le g a lly a do p t th e

c h ild o f a n o th e r, b u t fa ils to d o so .” ) (c ita tio n a n d p u n c tu a tio n o m it t e d ) ;

Mo rg a n

, 2 8 5 G a

. a t 5 1 3 (3 ) (v irtu a l a d o p te e “ c o u ld n o t le g a lly b e c o n sid e re d

v irtu a lly a d o p te d p rio r to [th e a d op tiv e p a re n t’s] d e a th a n d in te sta c y ” ). F in a lly

,

e v e n sin c e th e 2 0 0 2 a m e nd m e n t, th is Co u rt h a s c o n tin u e d to re c o g n iz e th a t th e

in te sta c y o f th e a d op tiv e p a re n t is o n e of th e e le m e n ts re q u ire d to p ro v e v irtu a l

a d o p tio n

. M o rg a n

, 2 8 5 Ga

. a t 5 1 3 (3 ). Be c a u se OCGA § 5 3-4 -4 8 c a n b e a t le a st

a s re a so n a

b ly u n d e rsto o d to le a v e th e c o m m on la w o f v irtu a l a d o p tio n

u n c h a n g e d a s to d e p a rt fro m it, we mu s t p re su m e th a t th e Ge ne ra l Asse m b ly

m e a n t to a d h e re to th e re q u ire m e n t o f in te sta c y

.

F o r th e se re a so ns,

9We d e c lin e to a pp ly th e d o c trin e o f e qu ita b le a d o p tio n to a ffe c t th e

d istrib u tio n o f a te sta t e e s t a te

. Eq uity sh o uld n o t b e a v a ilab le to

c o u n te rm a n d c le a r le g isla tiv e m a n d a te s. Ad op tio n a n d p ro b a te a re

b o th sta tu to ry p ro c e d u re s, with fo rm a litie s d e sig n e d to e n su re

c e rta in ty

. Wh e re n e ith e r th e a p plic a b le sta tu te s n o r th e la st will a n d

te sta m e n t a re a m

big u o u s, ne ith e r le g isla tiv e in te n t n or te sta m e nta ry

in te n t d e p e n d up o n re so rt to e q u ity

.

S e a d e r, 76 P 3 d a t 1 24 8

. Th e ju d g m e n t o f th e p ro b a te c o u rt is a f f i r me d to th e

e x te n t th a t it a d m itte d th e will o f Ms. Jo h n so n to p ro b a te

, b u t th e ju d g m e n t th a t

Ro g e rs is e n title d to a n in te sta te sh a re o f th e e sta te is re v e rse d

. 3

Ju d g m e n t a ffirm e d in p a rt a n d re v e rse d in p a rt. All th e Ju stic e s c o n c u r.

3 Because there was no virtual adoption here, we d o not decide whether the probate

court, if there h ad been a virtual adoption, would have had the autho r i t y t o p rovide an

equitable r em edy

. See E zell, 160 Ga. a t 873 (4) (“a person claim ing b y virtual adoption can

only e n f orce his claim

through a court of

equity ”) (citation om itted).

1 0