Did Monkee Mike Nesmith Have More Than One Will?
Musician Michael Nesmith, best known as a member of the 1960s rock group The Monkees, passed away on December 10, 2021, at his Carmel Valley home. His estate has become the subject of legal dispute due to the existence of multiple wills.
Multiple Wills and Competing Claims
Evidence suggests that Nesmith created at least three separate wills. A handwritten will dated July 8, 2014, was submitted to Monterey County Superior Court in California in December 2021. Additionally, Nesmith’s four adult children claim that a more substantial will was executed in 1994, though they initially lacked a copy of that document.
The children argue that the one-page, 2014 handwritten will functions as a codicil – a legal amendment – rather than a complete replacement of the 1994 will, since it contains no language explicitly revoking prior wills.
Estate Distribution Disputes
The 2014 will directs all assets to the Gihon Foundation, an organization established in 1977 by Nesmith’s mother, Bette Graham (inventor of Liquid Paper). Nesmith served as the foundation’s president, and his children hold board positions.
The children contend that a 1994 trust arrangement specified that personal property, vehicles, and furnishings should pass to Nesmith’s ex-wife, Victoria Kennedy, to whom he was married at that time.
Valuation Disagreements
The estate’s worth remains contested. Cynthia Davis, Nesmith’s business manager and accountant, valued the estate at approximately $3.6 million. However, the children claim the actual value is roughly $1.95 million, asserting that Davis incorrectly included assets that belong within the 1994 trust structure rather than the estate itself.
The children submitted a one-page document evidencing the trust arrangement, signed by both Nesmith and Kennedy. Court proceedings were expected to resolve these matters during a spring hearing.
If you or a loved one needs assistance with estate planning or probate issues, do not hesitate to contact The Stegall Law Firm.
