Jerry Lewis, famous actor and comedian of many years, died at age 91 from heart failure. In 2012, however, he executed some estate planning documents that included a final will and testament. The contents of his will were recently published and information contained therein may surprise many Louisiana readers.
Lewis’s will included specific wording stating that he was officially disinheriting his six biological sons. They, nor their descendants are to receive any portion of the $50 million Lewis estate. Instead, the entire fortune is to be divided between Lewis’s widow and his adopted daughter. It’s certainly not the first time a parent has ever disinherited children; in fact, it happens all the time in the estate planning world.
However, Lewis’s story is even more complicated than that because he apparently had another daughter, conceived out of wedlock. A woman who is currently homeless says that because she has DNA confirmation that she is indeed Jerry Lewis’s biological child, she should be entitled to a portion of his estate. She also said that given her ongoing dire circumstances, it would only be right that she receive some of his assets.
Some who are knowledgeable in the estate planning process have said that since the woman’s name is not among those listed as legally disinherited (her name is not listed in the will at all), she could contest the will and request that she inherit what she believes is rightfully hers. Only time will tell if that occurs. In the meantime, any Louisiana resident who wishes to contest a will or has questions or concerns about a particular situation, can reach out for help by requesting a meeting with an experienced attorney.
Source: wealthmanagement.com, “Jerry’s Kids Get Cut Out…Or Do They?“, David H. Lenok, Sept. 22, 2017