Five years after music superstar Aretha Franklin's death, her final wishes remain unsettled. An unusual trial begins next Monday to determine which of two handwritten wills will guide how her estate is handled.
Five years after her death, the final wishes of Aretha Franklin are still unsettled.
“Does it surprise me that someone passed away before they had their ducks in a row? The answer is never,” said Pat Simasko, who specializes in wills and estates and teaches elder law at Michigan State University College of Law.“This can be settled any time, on the steps, halfway through trial,” he said. “And hopefully it will be. Going to a jury trial is a war.”Franklin was a global star for decades, known especially for hits like “Think,” “I Say a Little Prayer” and “Respect.
“The interesting thing here ... is her legacy and the management of her legacy and her royalties and the operation of the Aretha Franklin business in the future. That’s huge,” Simasko said. “Two inconsistent wills cannot both be admitted to probate. In such cases the most recent will revokes the previous will,” Charles McKelvie, a lawyer for Kecalf Franklin, said in a court filing in favor of the 2014 document.
For five years, Aretha Franklin’s estate has been handled at different times by three executors. Owens quit in 2020, citing a “rift” among the sons.
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