Dispute over Australian Author’s Estate Heads back to Court

A long-running dispute over the estate of author Colleen McCullough is heading back to court, the Sydney Morning Herald has reported.

The best-selling author died in January last year and left behind an estate thought to be worth millions of dollars, including property, an art collection and royalties from the 25 books she wrote during her career.

The dispute originated between Dr McCullough’s widower Ric Robinson, to whom she was married for thirty years, and the University of Oklahoma, which she had developed close links with during her life. Both Mr Robinson and the University claim that they are the intended heirs to the estate.

The University is basing its claim on a Will signed by Dr McCullough in July 2014 that apparently explained why she chose not to leave her estate to her husband. At the same time she also signed a “Bequest Intention Letter” making the University her sole beneficiary. However, three months later the will was changed and Mr Robinson’s name added to make him the only beneficiary. The University claims that by this point Dr McCullough’s health was such that she couldn’t have made this amendment of her own volition.

Dr McCullough’s literary agent, who is the executor of her estate, subsequently joined the action, taking over the University’s role as the plaintiff. She also claims that the July 2014 document should be treated as the valid Will.

However, Mr Robinson says that the July 2014 Will is invalid and is basing his inheritance claim on a document that was signed by Dr McCullough in January 2015, shortly before she died. He has asked for probate to be granted over this Will, but failing that he has asked that a much earlier document, from 2005, be treated as her correct Will.

The latest round of the case is apparently due to be heard in court in June this year.

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Source:

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/battle-over-author-colleen-mcculloughs-estate-takes-a-twist-20160512-gotksh