If you pass away without a will designating how you’d like your affairs to be handled, you are deemed to have died “intestate.” Some of the most significant legal battles and family feuding occurs in those situation because it is essentially a free-for-all. Generic legal rules apply, but without any indication of how to handle property distribution and other matters, all interested parties may decide to pursue different legal avenues to maximize their own interests. Legal fights can still occur when a will exists (often referred to a “will contests”), but the possibility of one’s wishes being completely upended are far lower when at least some documentation exists.
Interestingly, it is not uncommon for various documents purporting to explain one’s wishes to pop up later on–in the midst of a legal dispute. For obvious reasons, these documents should be examined with much scrutiny, but they still may influence a legal case.
New Document in Lottery Winner’s Estate Feud
For example, ABC News recently reported on a new document that was shared with the court in the well-known case involving a poisoned lottery winner. The estate battle gained national attention last year when a lottery winner died suddenly after being given cyanide. Authorities have yet to make any arrests, but various parties (including the man’s wife and father-in-law) have been under suspicion for involvement in the matter.
The lottery winner (who also owned a small business) died intestate. Since his passing, various family members have been fighting over the remains of his estate. Most prominently the man’s widow and his siblings have spent significant time in court in an attempt to argue why they should receive the bulk of his wealth.
Recently, the widow came forward claiming that she found a new document signed by her husband which purports to leave all of his assets to his wife. Mysteriously, the letter was signed only two months before his untimely death. The document was allegedly an “operating agreement” that was drafted with his business partner. The agreement was submitted to the probate court last week. The man’s brother questioned the timing of the find and argued that it was illogical for the agreement to be signed only two months before his death, as if he had any idea that he would ultimately be murdered.
Adding to the complexity are the possible inheritance rights of the man’s child from a previous marriage and allegations that the man did not legally marry the widow. Considering all of the complications, this situation is the prototypical example of lack of estate planning gone awry. Accusations of murder, blended families, feuding in-laws, newly discovered documents, and lottery winnings all combined without use of trusts or a will.