As you are trying to learn more about estate planning you would do well to examine the celebrity cases that are widely publicized.
The things that go on during the probate process are a matter of public record. Naturally, people are interested in the affairs of famous individuals so the details often get published. As a result you can gather some good information from these cases that helps you when you are planning your own estate.
Just such a case is making the rounds currently. The world of entertainment lost the hilarious comedic actor Sherman Hemsley in July when he passed away in El Paso, Texas, at the age of 74. Hemsley forever distinguished himself through his role as the boisterous George Jefferson on the sitcom The Jeffersons.
George worked his way up to wealth and certainly had a good time enjoying his status. His character struck a chord with the American public.
In real life Hemsley was a much different person, a private man who did not seek out the spotlight. He was unmarried and had no children but he did have a longtime live-in partner named Flora Enchinton. She was named in his will as sole heir and executor.
The estate however is being challenged by a man from Philadelphia named Richard Thornton. He contends that he is the actor’s brother and that he should be the rightful heir to the estate.
This matter is being held up in probate court in El Paso while the judge tries to sort it all out. In the meantime, the body of the actor has been sitting in a refrigerated compartment in an El Paso funeral home, awaiting resolution to Hemsley’s contested will.
Larry Parman
Author, President and Founding Attorney
Parman & Easterday
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