Here's another issue and has been known to happen. Say for example you have 2 people in a gay longterm relationship. One of them has family who have nothing to do with him because he is gay. He then dies but leaves everything in his will to the one who truly loved him - his partner. But the family contests the will and gets what they want? Why because they are legally recognised as his family.
Sherry brought this up in another thread this week. It is for this reason and others that I support gay marriage on moral grounds. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The above came before-- i don't remember who posted it.... This example wouldn't occur is 'real life'-- the will would trump the 'family', unless the will lacked the proper probate requirements to be processed as a VALID will. If not a VALID will, then fam would inherit, probably, cuz the decedent died intestate-- without a proper will.