The Florida Estate Planning and Probate Law Blog is focused on recent federal and state case law and planning ideas.

DISCRIMINATION PROVISION IN WILL UPHELD AS VALID

In the New Jersey Appeals Court case of In re the Estate of Kenneth E. Jameson, (NJ App., Aug. 12, 2016), a New Jersey appeals court upheld NJ law which allows discrimination provisions in testamentary bequests. The law does not preclude an "individual from disinheriting his or her child for religiously discriminatory reasons." The Ohio Supreme Court previously upheld a similar provision. The court upheld the specific provision contained in the Will, which disinherited his daughter if she married someone of the Jewish faith, because "neither the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination nor New Jersey public policy bars disinheriting a child based on religion or religious affiliation."