In his ruling, Eide cited Minnesota law in declaring that anyone other than Prince’s siblings or half-siblings are automatically excluded from his estate – a provision that dismissed the claims of 29 people.
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A lawyer for the prospective female heirs previously identified them as Brianna Nelson, 31, and Victoria Nelson, 11.
Who’s in? Prince’s siblings and half-siblings John Nelson, Norrine Nelson, Sharon Nelson, Alfred Jackson, Omarr Baker and Tyka Nelson.
Aside from the siblings listed on Prince’s probate filing, the only claimants to survive the judge’s order were Brianna and Victoria Nelson, the daughter and granddaughter of the late Duane Nelson, Prince’s alleged half-brother.
In a 19-page ruling, District Judge Kevin Eide methodically untangled the complex issues surrounding the question of who could eventually inherit Prince’s bounty, estimated to be $100 million to $300 million before taxes.
A source previously claimed to the Daily News that while Duane and Prince were raised as half-brothers, Duane learned in his teen years that he was not the biological son of Prince’s dad. Their attorney, Andrew Stoltman, declined to comment.
The “Purple Rain” singer was found unresponsive in an elevator at his Paisley Park estate at age 57.
An autopsy subsequently revealed that the singer had died of an overdose to the opioid Fentanyl. One of them, referred to as “Child 1”, says they were adopted by Prince but don’t have the paperwork to prove it. Another claimant, referred to as “Child 5”, says he was told by a friend of his mother’s at a funeral that his name was “French for “Young Prince” and Mr. Nelson (Prince) was the reason”. The process of determining his heirs and parceling out his estate has fallen to the courts because he had no known children and left no will. A DNA test has already ruled out a Colorado prison inmate who claimed to be Prince’s son.
“None of the other applicants claiming to be a child of the decedent claim that there is a presumption of paternity under the Minnesota Parentage Act”, the judge wrote.
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The order did not address the remaining two half-siblings, but the judge did rule two women who claimed to be a niece and grand-niece of Prince each made a strong enough case to be potential heirs that they will take the DNA test as well.
