The Battle Over Aretha Franklin’s Estate: Jury to Decide Valid Will
The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, passed away in August 2018, leaving behind a multi-million dollar estate with no known will. However, months after her death, handwritten wills were discovered in her home in suburban Detroit, Michigan. Now, a jury is tasked with determining which of the two documents should be considered her valid last testament.
The trial, which began on Monday, is expected to last less than a week. Witnesses, including Franklin’s children, her niece Sabrina Owens, and a handwriting expert, will testify before a six-person jury at the Oakland County Probate Court.
Despite being a legendary 18-time Grammy Award winner and the first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Franklin was known for her privacy regarding her finances and had resisted preparing a formal will despite years of ill health. Her assets, including homes, cars, furs, and jewelry, were initially set to be equally split among her four sons due to the absence of a will.
However, the discovery of the handwritten wills has sparked a dispute among the sons. One son argues that the papers dated June 2010 found inside a locked cabinet are the valid will, while two other sons claim that a will dated March 2014 found in a spiral notebook under sofa cushions should take precedence.
Judge Jennifer Callaghan informed jurors that their only decision is whether the 2014 document can be accepted as a valid will. Both versions outline that the sons will share revenue from Franklin’s music and copyrights, but they differ in other aspects, such as the distribution of assets and instructions for the future.
The trial has shed light on the family rift, with Franklin’s niece resigning as the estate representative due to the disagreements among the siblings. Despite the ongoing legal battle, a settlement has been reached to provide Franklin’s eldest son with a percentage of the estate regardless of the will contest outcome.
The Franklin fortune, initially estimated at $80 million, has significantly decreased due to unpaid taxes and more recent valuations. The late singer’s assets are now valued at just under $6 million, according to court documents.
As the trial unfolds, the fate of Aretha Franklin’s estate remains uncertain, with the jury tasked with determining the validity of the handwritten wills and the distribution of her assets among her sons.
