family gets nothing?

my brother just passed away in texas. he left his entire estate to the man he lived with for the last 6 years. he was gay and has no children. we his sisters are his only family and he left nothing to us in his will. he was very, very wealthy and I am shocked he did this. can he give his entire estate to a stranger? does next of kin have any rights? i dont beleive he knew what he was signing. the person who wrote the will was the man he lived with and also named himself as executor and full heir of everything. please tell me do we have any rights or did my brother make a mistake? he was a known alcoholic. this is truly the worst thing that could ever happen to him and us!

That is how a will works. You can leave your estate to anyone or anything you like. I have heard of entire estates going to a beloved pet. If he left his entire estate to a "stanger" who happened to be his partner then it was your brothers choice.

If you are claiming undue influence in the preparation of the will you will need to hire an attorney and contest it in probate court.

First off - as a non homophobic person, as you seem to be - how can you even DARE think that your brothers life partner was a "stranger" ??? That would be like me telling my brother in law was a stranger if my sister ever passed away. You DO sound money hungry, no matter what you say. Maybe the fact that you probably never showed your brother and his partner any respect - sounds like you didnt if you are still calling him a stranger that is why your brother left it all to his partner. My sisters will both leave their estates to their husbands and or kids - so I dont see what your legal standing is - you dont have any ! Hmmm, I wonder if you would have the same problem if your brother left all his money to a charity of his choice ? Would you have a problem with this if your brother was straight and married to a woman and left the estate to her? I doubt it. You dont deserve a dime in my opinion and sound very dissaporving of your brothers choice of lifestyles.

Shadyfoxylady's got it right. Maybe you think that homosexuals don't have any rights in this country but they do maybe not equal rights but they still have rights. My brother's been with the same man for 8 years now and since day one when I met his man I considered him executor and heir to my brother's possession. I'm not rich and I could always use some extra cash. Heck I still rent and I'm 29 and I don't think I'll own a house till I'm 40 but my brother's money isn't my money no matter how bad I need it.

Leave your brothers husband alone and treat him as an equal to heterosexuals. Rant over!

P.S. I'm sure since it’s been so long you won’t read this but I thought it was important for other people to know there are civilized heterosexuals (men too) out there who believe everyone should have the same rights and not everyone is narrow-minded.

I believe confusedinmichigan was not being homophobic. I think he was only trying to distinguish between blood relations and non blood relations.

P.S. Try not to attack posters as they are quick to boot off on this forum.

I suppose I was harsh but I’m kind of protective and I wasn’t really sure how to take his post. I don’t know the man or the situation but it reminded me of some people I know ok fine it’s my Sister. There are… bound to be leaches in all walks of life black white gay straight and I’ve heard that in the gay community you either have a week long marriage or a life long marriage and I think that’s true from what I’ve seen. So food for thought from my perspective if someone’s been together for six years it looks more permanent than a one night stand. There is more to his story I’m sure but if it’s a leach I say break out the pitch forks and witch hunt the man.

Uh sorry but his LIFE PARTNER is not a stranger! Would you have this same problem if he had left his estate to a woman he was married to ??? The man he shared his life with was probably in his life more than his family was from the sounds of it. Your brother left it to the person he wanted it to go to - get over it.

If she wasnt being homophocbic then why bring up sexual orientation at all ? Again I agree with shadyfoxylady - the guy was his partner flat out simple.

She has every right to say what she did. For one thing,"he" does not have a "husband". That is an oxymoran. God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve. ANYWAY. I know what she is talking about. I would never leave my brothers out of my will if I had that much money. They are my flesh and blood. The other guy does have some rights but it was rude of him not to include his sisters.

True, he may not have had a husband, depending on what state he lived in but what he DID have was a PARTNER and someone that loved him and shared his life with him. What fricking difference does it make if the partner is same gender or not ? It all boils down to the deceased persons wishes. As to the question the OP asked - NO - the sisters and siblings DON'T have any rights!!! Would anyone feel they have a "right" to a married heterosexual siblings estate? (if anyone does, then that's sad too) No one has a "right" to say anything about who leaves what money to whom. It doesnt change the facts that, for whatever reason, the deceased chose who he chose to pass his estate onto. It is flat out simple none of anyones business but the person who has the money. You specifically bring your homophobism (sorry I know that isn't a word but still you get the drift) into this - and it doesnt belong here in this issue. The legal issue is who got the money in the will - flat out simple. The answer is that the person who shared in the life of the now deceased person got the estate. Get over it and move on. Would you still have a problem with the decision if the partner was a female? I doubt it.

My two sisters are fairly well off and I wouldn't DARE to consider that I have any entitlement to a dime from them. Their estate belongs to whomever they wish to leave it to, again, flat out simple. For that matter when my father was still alive I always told him to spend every last dime of his money cause it wasn't mine and I didn't earn it and I wasn't entitled to any of it.

No one is entitled to anything in this world.

I am still shocked and more than a little disgusted at someone still using that tired old adage of "Adam and Steven" or whatever it is. Its just flat out BIGOTRY !!!