Legal Battle Over Aretha Franklin’s Handwritten Will Erupts Amongst Family Members

Late singer Aretha Franklin’s handwritten will, which was found in her couch after her death in 2018, has been deemed a valid Michigan will by a jury. This decision marks a critical turn in a dispute that has caused rifts among three of her four sons. The victory goes to Franklin’s second oldest and youngest children, Edward and Kecalf, whose lawyers argued that the papers dated 2014 should override a 2010 will that was discovered around the same time in a locked cabinet at Franklin’s home in suburban Detroit.

Franklin’s oldest child, Clarence, who lives with special needs in an assisted living facility in Michigan, remains uninvolved in the dispute. His guardian’s lawyer stated that they have reached a settlement that grants Clarence a percentage of the estate regardless of the outcome of the will contest.

When Franklin passed away five years ago at the age of 76 after battling pancreatic cancer, she did not leave behind a formal, typewritten will. However, both the 2010 and 2014 versions of the will, with scribbles and hard-to-decipher passages, emerged in 2019 when her niece, Sabrina Owens, searched the home for records.

Owens and Franklin’s third oldest child, Ted White II, were listed as co-executors or personal representatives to the estate in the 2010 will. However, Owens resigned as a representative of her aunt’s estate in 2020 due to divisions within the family. In a letter filed in a Detroit court, Owens expressed that this is not what Franklin would have wanted for the family and that she holds no animosity towards her cousins.

Franklin’s assets, which were once valued at $80 million, have since plummeted to $6 million due to more recent estimations and unpaid taxes. Estate managers have been working to pay bills, settle tax debts, and generate income through music royalties and other intellectual property. However, the will dispute has remained unresolved.

While both the 2010 and 2014 versions of the will indicate that Franklin’s four sons would share income from music and copyrights, there are differences between the two. The 2014 will states that Kecalf Franklin and the grandchildren would receive Franklin’s main home in Bloomfield Hills, which was valued at $1.1 million at the time of her death but is worth much more today. The older will includes a provision that Kecalf, 53, and Edward Franklin, 64, must take business classes and obtain a certificate or degree to benefit from the estate, which is not present in the 2014 version.

Ted White II, who played guitar with Aretha Franklin, testified against the 2014 will, stating that his mother typically handled important documents “conventionally and legally” with the assistance of an attorney.

Don Wilson, an entertainment lawyer who represented Franklin for nearly 30 years, revealed that he insisted she have a will and a trust as part of her estate planning. However, Franklin, known for her privacy, chose to write the documents herself rather than share that information with an attorney.

Aretha Franklin was a global star for decades, renowned for hits such as “Think,” “I Say a Little Prayer,” and “Respect.”

What was the significance of the recent jury’s decision to recognize the 2014 will as the valid will in Michigan and how does it highlight the importance of formalizing a will to avoid conflicts among family members

In both the 2010 and 2014 wills. However, tensions arose among the siblings when it became clear that the two wills differed in terms of how Franklin’s assets would be divided.

The 2010 will designated Franklin’s eldest son, Clarence, as the main beneficiary, leaving him the majority of her estate. Edward and Kecalf, along with their brother Ted, would receive smaller shares. In contrast, the 2014 will distributed the assets more evenly among Franklin’s children, with each of them receiving equal portions.

The dispute over which will to consider as valid led to a legal battle that lasted for two years. The jury’s recent decision to recognize the 2014 will as the valid Michigan will brings an end to this contentious issue.

The significance of this ruling goes beyond the distribution of Franklin’s estate. It also highlights the importance of formalizing a will to avoid conflicts among family members after one’s passing. Franklin’s case serves as a reminder that even handwritten wills, though prone to interpretation and contestation, can hold legal weight under certain circumstances.

As for Clarence, his special needs and living situation made it necessary for his guardian to participate in the settlement negotiations. The specifics of the settlement remain confidential, but the outcome ensures that Clarence will receive a portion of Franklin’s estate, regardless of the verdict on the will dispute.

Overall, the resolution of this dispute brings closure to an emotionally charged situation within the Franklin family. The verdict solidifies the intentions expressed in the 2014 will and puts an end to the rifts among the siblings. It also serves as a sobering reminder to others about the importance of creating and formalizing a clear and legally valid will.