This week lawyers for the estranged widow of Thomas Kinkade have filed an appeal in Santa Clara County Superior Court. The appeal is in response to their ruling made earlier in the month that denied his wife's request to keep disputes between the estate and Kinkade's girlfriend in private arbitration. The judge had ruled that those disputes belonged in probate court where hearings would be open to the public.

These disputes arise over two handwritten wills that the girlfriend claims Kinkade wrote just before his death. These wills leave her his mansion, art studio, and $10 million to establish a museum. When Kinkade and his wife separated they both agreed that Kinkade would maintain the mansion as his residence. Now the girlfriend continues to reside there despite the wife wanting to sell it claiming the mortgage is in default.

There was meant to be a hearing on who would administer the estate on Monday July 30, however, this appeal is most likely to postpone that hearing until later in the year.

Administering an estate is a complicated affair and should not be undertaken without advice or assistance from a qualified professional Estate Administration Attorney.

*This blog entry was not written by an Attorney and should not be constituted as professional legal advice.