Court Rules Pages of Aretha Franklin's Will Found in Couch Valid

Source: SAUL LOEB / Getty

A nearly five year battle for the delegation of Aretha Franklin’s belongings has been settled. A Michigan jury was presented with documents of Aretha Franklin’s will that have been recently found at her home. Four pages of handwritten wishes signed by Aretha Franklin was found under a sofa cushion in her estate.

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Initially, it appeared that Aretha Franklin did not have a will. On August 16,2018, a will written by Franklin dated in 2010 was found by her niece. Subsequently, a document was found in 2019, dated in 2014, that was ‘repeatedly’ signed by Franklin. This document raised questions from the family and was ultimately ruled void.

Ted White Jr., one of Franklin’s four sons,  felt that the documents found dated in 2010 should serve as her will. “With all the time I spent working with her administratively … every other document that she ever signed was something that was done conventionally and legally” and with assistance from a lawyer, White, 60, told the jury Monday.

The court ruled Tuesday that the recent documents found under Franklin’s sofa is valid and will serve as Franklin’s will.

“We just want to exhale right now,” Kecalf Franklin, one of the singer’s four sons, said outside the courtroom. “It’s been a long five years for my family and my children.”

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Pages of Aretha Franklin’s Will Found in Couch Ruled Valid By Court  was originally published on rnbphilly.com