The Estate of Curtis “Doc” Beauchamp

The following summarizes a discussion of an interesting case as reported in David Hasemyer, Relatives fight for slice of dental-empire fortune, Union-Tribune (San Diego), Sept. 1, 2008:

• Curtis “Doc” Beauchamp began an innovative method of practicing dentistry which included advertising and a large chain of dental offices.
• Shortly before his death, Curtis directed his wife to sell the business to their son (Robert) after he died.
• Curtis died in 1939.
• Robert bought the practice for $12,000.
• Robert died in 1998.
• In 2006, Robert’s children sold the practice for approximately $400 million.
• A lawsuit has now been filed by Curtis’s other descendants (that is, Robert’s sibling’s children) claiming that the transfer to Robert in 1939 was conditioned on sharing the proceeds of the business with Robert’s four siblings and their descendants.
• Robert’s children respond that their are no provisions in Curtis’s will nor in the sales agreement imposing this condition.   Curtis provided for his children, but not his grandchildren.
• Judge Joan M. Lewis made a tentative ruling agreeing with Robert’s children.