Harry Lieffers Jr.’s Controversial Will

In October 2003, millionaire attorney Harry Leiffers Jr. executed a will which cut out his two daughters and stepson and left his estate instead to his real estate agent (age 43) and the agent’s girlfriend (age 22).   Mr. Leiffers explained in the will that the gifts were “to reward them for the kindness they have shown me.”

Mr. Leiffers died late last year and, as would be expected, his daughters are contesting the will.  They assert that Mr. Leiffers lacked testamentary capacity because of dementia and Alzheimer’s.  In addition, the attorney who drafted the will is the girlfriend’s uncle!

On the other hand, the real estate agent alleges that Mr. Leiffers was lucid and mentally competent and that his children had abandoned him.

In an interesting twist, the agent’s girlfriend has disclaimed her share of the estate (about $750,000) because they are no longer together.

For more details on this interesting case, see Jamie Thompson, Family to Contest Revised Will, St. Petersburg Times, Dec. 12, 2005.