Johnny Hallyday, called the “French Elvis,” passed away last December after struggling with lung cancer. Though Hallyday died with a will, it was drafted and executed in the United States, which means it does not apply in France. His two eldest children, Laura Smet and David Hallyday, have been involved in a dispute over the estate, which includes a £100 million fortune, with Hallyday’s widow, Laeticia Hallyday. Laura and David recently gained a legal victory when a French court placed a temporary freeze on several of Hallyday’s French estates. The most important question for the beneficiaries is whether France’s law or US law applies. Under French laws, Laeticia and her two adopted children are entitled to the whole of the estate.
See Charlotte Dean, Eldest Children of ‘French Elvis’ Johnny Hallyday Win Legal Battle to Freeze His Assets in Bitter Family Feud over His £100 Million Fortune, Daily Mail.com, April 14, 2018.
Special thanks to Joel C. Dobris (Professor of Law, UC Davis School of Law) for bringing this article to my attention.
