It seems like from reports all parties were well aware of the situation - the owner, their representatives, GoDaddy, etc.
I don't suspect we will get a clear answer, as I would expect the case to be settled before it gets to that point.
If you want to take an absolutist role, the renewal is the response of the registrant.
However, it is unclear what role GoDaddy played in that situation.
The registrant seems like they were clearly wanting to renew the domain.
Their lawyer was apparently in contact with GoDaddy regarding this.
This situation is not about a party walking away from their interests in a domain by simply not renewing it.
If the owner had legal representation, it is unclear to me why a solution could not be reached to renew this domain. Were options give to them and they failed to do what was needed? I have no idea.
This also creates other concerns regarding similar situations where someone might be incapacitated or dead. Does GoDaddy have a clear path in place to deal with ownership in these situations?
Brad