As if that list of alleged beneficiaries did not signify the complexity of Prince’s estate, the Star Tribune reports that more than 20 lawyers, representing assorted alleged heirs, showed up in court on Monday “to debate how Minnesota’s probate laws interact with laws for determining parentage”.
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The decision on Prince’s heirs will not only determine who gets Prince’s current money and Paisley Park recording studio, but also who controls his music and the image industry experts have said his earnings potential after death is vast.
Other claimants include two other people who say they are step-sisters of Prince, two women whom claim to be the musician’s niece and grand-niece, and a man who claims to be his son.
David Crosby of Bremer Trust, the court-appointed special administrator for Prince’s estate, said they searched through “thousands of boxes” for a will but found nothing.
“If Prince actually had a $300 million estate, you’re looking at having to come up with $150 million in 9 months”, Link said.
Prince died April 21 from an overdose of the painkiller fentanyl.
“This case is perhaps unique in the state of Minnesota”, Eide said.
“There’s no indication that a will exists, and we basically now have looked under every box lid”, Crosby said.
Judge Kevin Eide, who presided over the hearing, explained that the case was a crossroads between probate and paternity law, which made it hard to determine which motions and hearings should be held privately. The heirs to his estate – whomever they may be – will need to figure out its worth and what they will do with it.
He did have a sister and several half-siblings.
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How those DNA tests will be conducted is just one of the things being discussed Monday in Minnesota Probate Court.
