Texas jury rules stepson was not adopted despite 1980 will calling him 'child'

A Texas jury ruled in an inheritance dispute that a stepson was not legally adopted, even though a 1980 will referred to him as 'my child'. The stepson had argued that he had been informally adopted by his stepfather. His family was not persuaded by that claim. The jury concluded that neither a formal nor an informal adoption had taken place. The case underscores the importance of clear legal documentation in estate planning, especially in blended families where inheritance rights can be contested.