US court hears ex-Playmate Anna Nicole Smith's case

Reuters ^ | February 28, 2006 | James Vicini

[Hildy]

I do believe people have the right to leave, or not leave, their money to whomever the hell they want to. HOWEVER, if the guy was senile at the end, which I suspect he was, that's another story and that was proven in a court in Texas I believe. Women like Smith hurt all women. Married for 14 months and believes she deserves half his estate. I loathe women like her.

[toldyou]

I just googled her name along with "legal," and found this. Read under "Vickie Lynn Marshall." The story on J. Howard Marshall is pretty interesting, too.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/ansjudge1.html

[Hildy]

wow...I didn't realize just how long they had been together. Well...I don't know now. She made him very happy, apparently. Do you know if the Brother ever offered her anything? Seems to me he should have. She made his Father's last years happy. That's gotta be worth millions if you're a billionaire. Interesting how he didn't pay taxes. Rich people always find ways not to pay taxes if they really don't want to.

[toldyou]

I just finished reading it. Sounds like she did make him happy....she waited three years before marrying him? I think that's what I read. I just don't get it when there's that much money involved, why all the greed on the part of the 67 year old son. A FReeper's comment earlier was that she wants a third of the fortune. There's plenty left over after that when you consider he was worth billions!

[Hildy]

Interesting....seems to be alot of witnesses to how much he loved and cared for him. I'm going to research a little more (tomorrow, I have to go to sleep sometime!) and see what that court in Texas said.

[toldyou]

I'm on the east coast, so I'll say goodnight, too!

[ElPatriota]

LOL! - Sort a new idea for a "complete physical." Sort of a cardio test. If you survive 3 days and you are still breathing... you are in excellent shape! :)

[toldyou]

"LOL - Well, at 89 years old... I just hope he was able to enjoy some of that time with her. Think about it... you are 89 years OLD!..."

He spent more time than I think most of us thought. Look at my post #42.

[beancounter13]

I think we need to separate the two cases at issue for a moment: the fact that Smith was married to a wealthy old man who left her with only $6M out of an estate worth $1.6B is a matter for the probate court. That court ruled on the settlement, and that ruling has not yet been set aside by any appellate court.

The case before the SCOTUS is based upon a bankruptcy court ruling that the estate can be attached as part of Smith's assets. The bottom-line question is, "Can a bankruptcy court CREATE an asset when one did not exist before the bankruptcy?" Unless the probate decision is vacated, there is no asset.

IMO, the 9th Circuit correctly ruled that there was no asset to attach to the bankruptcy case. Smith's sole recourse is with the appeal of the probate decision, which, if memory serves, she did not try until after the appellate deadline had expired.

[toldyou]

Whoa....ya lost me! You seem to know a whole lot more than I do, and a lot more about the legal system! I simply can't figure out what makes a person (the 67 yr. old son) fight over money for years and years when there are billions to share.

[Ditter]

I heard from someone today that he hates his brother, they don't speak.

[rollo tomasi]

The son who got nothing tried to take over his dad's business. Thus, papa wrote him out of the will.

[toldyou]

Just googled and found this on Forbes Richest People dated 2003:

E Pierce Marshall,64,inherited

Source: inheritance
Net Worth: $1.6 bil
Home State: Texas
Marital Status: married, 2 children

Son of late Texas oil baron J. Howard Marshall II still sparring over father's estate with stepmom, erstwhile stripper-cum-reality-TV-star Anna Nicole Smith. She lost in Houston court but won $90 million in California bankruptcy court; appeals pending. Father founded Great Northern Oil Co. with Fred Koch, later swapped for 16% stake in Koch Industries. Died in 1995, one year after marrying Smith. Son vehemently denies Forbes' valuation of his worth.