Recently, we have shared a pair of stories about family probate disputes following the death of a celebrity. Many of these cases are about contesting the terms of the celebrity’s will. However, many estate plan disputes are about the testator’s medical care while he or she is still alive.
For example, country music legend Glen Campbell is living with late-stage Alzheimer’s disease, and is apparently unable to tend to his personal needs any longer. In June 2014, his wife moved Campbell into a long-term care facility.
Then, in January, two of Campbell’s eight children filed a petition in court seeking to appoint a guardian and conservators over Campbell’s medical care and finances. They say Campbell’s wife is neglecting him, exploiting his fame and trying to isolate him from his family.
Among the allegations in the petition was that the wife was not providing Campbell with needed clothing and toiletries and was not visiting him recently. The petition also accuses the wife of not placing some of Campbell’s children on his list of approved visitors. The children who filed the petition also suspect that the wife is mishandling Campbell’s finances.
This legal action is mostly about who should be in charge of an elderly, ill family member’s care. Though it has relatively little to do with how Campbell’s assets will be distributed after he passes away, a probate attorney is likely still your best option in situations like this. As we have discussed before, voluntary and involuntary guardianships can protect a person’s health and estate when they become too mentally infirm to handle those important matters on their own.
