Article on Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way: The US Will Registry Offers a Technology Solution to the Lost Will Problem

Stacey Jerome-Miller recently published an Article entitled, Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way: The US Will Registry Offers a Technology Solution to the Lost Will Problem, Probate & Property Magazine, Vol. 32, No. 4, July/August 2018. Provided below is an abstract of the Article:

The death of the musical artist Prince shocked the country, but what was more shocking was the news that, although his estate is worth approximately $300 million, no will declaring the distribution of his assets can be found.

One can only guess why Prince did not leave a will. Was a will outside the scope of his religious beliefs? Did his attorneys advise him to plan for the event of his death, and he simply ignored their advice? Maybe he had not gotten around to estate planning, or perhaps he drafted a will but neglected to tell his family its location. It seems incredible to believe that such a large estate could be left unprotected. Whatever the reasoning, one cannot help but wonder what will happen to Prince’s millions now. The Petition for Formal Appointment of Special Administrator, filed by Prince’s sister Tyka Nelson, in the Carver County District Court on April 26, 2016, states, “I do not know of the existence of a will and have no reason to believe that the decedent executed testamentary documents in any form.” A large part of Prince’s estate will be needlessly wasted on legal fees, and Prince’s family will be tied up in court trying to sort it ,all out. In fact, as of May 14, 2018, over 1,900 documents have been filed in the case.