Estates of Donnelly

After John and Lily's son died leaving infant daughter Jean, Jean's mother remarried and Jean's stepfather adopted her, severing her formal legal relationship with her biological father's family; when John later died with a will leaving everything to Lily (who had predeceased him) without addressing what should happen if she predeceased him, his surviving daughter Kathleen (plaintiff) petitioned to be declared his sole heir, arguing Jean (defendant), as an adopted-out grandchild, no longer qualified as an heir, and the trial court and court of appeals both held Jean remained an heir of her biological grandparents.