Ellingburg v. United States · ¶31

But later events jeopardized Abigail's right to inherit Morison's property. First, Connecticut changed the default intestacy rules so that, absent a valid will, property like Morison's would pass to his nearest blood relative, not to a surviving spouse like Abigail. Id., at 90, and n. 9. Second, the probate court, without telling Abigail, disapproved Morison's original will. Id., at 90. And third, a few years later, Abigail and Morison's son died. Ibid. After her son died, Abigail and her new husband Caleb Bull returned to probate court. Ibid. The Bulls were surprised to learn that the probate court had disapproved Morison's will years earlier without telling Abigail—apparently on the theory that he would have wanted to change it after his son was born. Ibid. And, since Connecticut had enacted new default intestacy rules in the meantime, the absence of a valid will meant that Morison's…

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