Huge expenses approved for Denice Denton’s estate

Denice Denton committed suicide on June 24, 2006 during her tenure as the Chancellor of the University of California–Santa Cruz.

After her will was admitted to probate which leaves her estate to her three siblings, Denice’s mother (Carolyn Mabee) was appointed as the executor.

The court has recently authorized her to spend $100,000 on attorney fees to continue a battle against Denice’s same-sex partner, Gretchen Kalonji, who wants to share in Denice’s estate in the amount of $2.25 million even though she is not named as a beneficiary of Denice’s will.  Denice wrote her will before she met Gretchen.

Gretchen claims that she and Denice entered into an oral contract to provide for each other.  They did not, however, formalize their relationship as domestic partners.  Denice did not name Gretchen as the beneficiary of her life insurance or retirement plans.

Gretchen’s attorneys want Carolyn removed as the executor claiming that she has “deep-rooted personal animosity or financial motivations” and is intentionally delaying the lawsuit.

See Jennifer Squires, Fight over late chancellor’s estate heats up, MercuryNews.com, July 19, 2008.

Special thanks to Raymond Sheffield for bringing this article to my attention.