Examine the following sequence of events:

• Ann and Rich meet in State Y where they agree to live together as husband and wife forever. They do not want to go through a marriage ceremony, but they agree to be married and openly represent themselves as such. State Y does not recognize common law marriages.

• Rich accepts a job offer in State X, where common law marriages are legal, and they both move there.

• After three years in State X, Rich and Ann move back to State Y. One year later Rich dies. In his will, he leaves all his property “to my wife.” Ann is not mentioned by name in his will.

• From the time they met until the time of Rich’s death, they lived together as husband and wife, and everyone who knew them thought of them as such.

a. Can Ann claim anything under the will? State Y provides tax benefits to “widows.”
Can Ann claim these benefits?

b. What further information would you like to have about this case?