The Illinois Supreme Court has ruled that a Jewish husband and wife were within their rights to disinherit any grandchildren who married outside the faith.

Chicago dentist Max Feinberg and his wife had set up their estate to disinherit any grandchildren who married someone who wasn't Jewish.

Four of their five grandchildren wound up marrying spouses who were not Jewish and weren't allowed to inherit. Some challenged that in court, arguing that wills shouldn't be allowed to interfere with people's marriage choices based on religion.

The state Supreme Court rejected the challenge on Thursday.

But its ruling was based partly on technicalities in the way this estate was arranged meaning other wills with similar restrictions might not be valid.