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Prince judge dismisses 29 would-be heirs, may allow cameras in the courtroom
By Chris Cooke | Published on Monday 1 August 2016
The Minnesota judge overseeing the estate of Prince has dismissed 29 would-be heirs as he considers who should benefit from the late musician’s wealth.
As previously reported, Prince died without making a will, leading to numerous people coming forward claiming a family link to the star. According to reports, amongst those potential heirs rejected by judge Kevin Eide were five people who claimed that Prince was their biological or adoptive father, and a woman who claimed to have married the singer.
Those claimed heirs that Eide is still considering awarding a stake in Prince’s estate include the musician’s sister Tyka Nelson and the five other half-siblings who she named when filing legal papers seeking to appoint a special administrator of her brother’s estate.
The judge has asked that the three half-siblings who share a father with Prince now undergo genetic testing to confirm the link. Those two half-siblings that shared a mother will not be required to undergo such tests, though two other relations still in the running – a niece and grandniece – will do.
In other news, Eide has said that he may allow cameras into some of the future court hearings relating to the Prince estate. He has kept cameras out of the courtroom to date, but has told media organisations keen to film the proceedings that he may allow them in moving forward, but that he will make decisions to that effect on a day by day basis depending on the subject matter due to be discussed.
