Aretha Franklin, the legendary Queen of Soul, passed away on August 16, 2018 from pancreatic cancer at the age of 76 in Detroit, Michigan. She left a legacy marked by her incomparable music and talent, and a $6 million...more
You may have heard of the Battle of the Bands, but have you ever heard of the Battle of the Wills? Aretha Franklin died in 2018, but the legal battle over her estate continues today in the Michigan Probate Courts....more
You may have read in the news, that Aretha Franklin reportedly left holographic, or handwritten, wills in her home. Originally, it was thought that Ms. Franklin died intestate (or without a last will and testament). When an...more
When Aretha Franklin died in August 2018, at age 76, the initial belief that she left no will, followed by the discovery of three wills in her Detroit-area home, foreshadowed the potential emotional and financial...more
Typically, only those of us who are trusts and estates attorneys geek out over the fascinating problems that handwritten wills create. But when those wills were written by a music icon worth $80 million, suddenly this topic...more
Legendary singer Aretha Franklin was thought to have died without a will, but the recent discovery of handwritten documents in her home is calling that into question. A representative of her estate has asked a Michigan...more
Aretha Franklin’s estate is back in the news, this time for a controversy surrounding recently discovered handwritten documents that may — or may not — be accepted by the court as her official will....more
The music world was left mourning the death of another legend recently with the passing of the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. A woman with a voice full of power and emotion, her death leaves a musical landscape with few (if...more