Opinion ID: 2385632
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Texas Statutes

Text: Before 1977, an illegitimate child could inherit, under the Texas statute, only from the mother. Warren Jr. died in 1960. We can only guess what the Supreme Court of the United States would have held around 1960 as to the constitutionality of the then Texas statue, if a claim had been made on behalf of Craig against the estate of Warren Jr. No such claim was, or is, made. In 1971, that court upheld a Louisiana statute which, under the facts, did not permit inheritance by an illegitimate child from the father. Four justices dissented. Labine v. Vincent, 401 U.S. 532, 91 S.Ct. 1017, 28 L.Ed.2d 288. [1] The Texas Legislature was in session in 1977 when the Supreme Court handed down Trimble v. Gordon, 430 U.S. 762, 97 S.Ct. 1459, 52 L.Ed.2d 31 (April, 1977). Trimble is discussed later herein. It invalidated an Illinois statute. The Legislature, in 1977, amended Section 42 of our Probate Code to provide for alternate methods of making children legitimate. [2] The statute was amended again in 1979; [3] but since Warren Sr. died in 1978, we are concerned with the constitutionality of the 1977 statute. We refer to it as Section 42. Section 42 provided in section (a) that an illegitimate child would inherit from the mother and her maternal kindred, including ascendants. Section (b) provided that if the father and the mother married, the child would be legitimated. The child would then also inherit from the father and the paternal kindred, including ascendants. Section (c) provided for voluntary legitimation proceedings under which the child would inherit from the father but not from his paternal kindred; i.e., not from his grandfather. The Section reads: (c) Legitimation by Voluntary Legitimation Proceeding. Where a man, having by a woman a child shall afterwards legitimate the child pursuant to a voluntary legitimation proceeding under Chapter 13, Family Code, such child and his issue shall inherit from his father but not from his paternal kindred; and the father, but not the father's kindred, shall inherit from such child and his issue. Section (d) provided that where there was a marriage, or if the child was legitimatized, the child would be considered legitimate for purposes of homestead, exempt property, and family allowances. Section (e) provided that the issue of marriage deemed null in law should nevertheless be legitimate.