Kuralt Estate Loses Property to Mistress

CARLSBAD, CA - A State District judge in Montana has awarded $600,000 worth of property to the mistress of the late Charles Kuralt.

Kuralt, who died in July of 1997, wrote a letter to his long-time mistress. Within the letter, the 62 year-old Kuralt expressed his intent to give his mistress a ranch in Montana the two frequented over their 29 year relationship.

Unfortunately, his promise was never legally documented. Kuralt had wanted a lawyer to visit him during his hospitalization in 1997, to draft documents that would ensure that she received the property. However, no documents were ever created, and Kuralt died after complications from lupus.

When his mistress, Patricia Shannon, made claim to the property, Kuralt's widow contested. Susan Petie Kuralt claimed that Shannon did not have a valid right to the Montana ranch, and refused to turn the property over. When Mrs. Kuralt passed away in 1999, her daughters continued the fight to keep the property in the Kuralt family.

The case came to a head earlier this month when final arguments were made. In his ruling, Judge Christensen determined that the letter Kuralt had sent to Shannon was a valid will, despite the fact that there was no legal documentation. He then ordered the deed of the property handed over to Patricia Shannon.

Situations like the Kuralts' are not uncommon. In fact, there are many ways to prevent such disputes from occurring. Kuralt had titled the Montana property in his name, and had depended on a will to carry out his wishes.

What many fail to realize is that wills are merely instructions to a court as to how you want your assets divided. Wills are not binding, and can easily be contested. It is then up to the family court system to decide who gets your property, and in what amounts.

A will was not enough to ensure that all of Charles Kuralt's wishes were carried out. If the Montana property had been placed in a trust, a third-party trustee could have carried out Kuralt's wishes, without the need for a court battle.

Because court proceedings are part of the public record, your privacy is also at risk. As a respected journalist, Charles Kuralt lived his life in front of the public. However, his family probably would not have wanted this dispute to be as public as it was.

The expense of contested wills is also a major factor when setting up an estate plan. The costs of the Kuralt legal battle were significant, since the Montana dispute was in court for almost three full years. Attorney expenses, court fees and other probate costs were all charged to the estate. Some strategies, such as a living trust, can reduce these costs as much as possible.

To learn more about Living Trusts and how they may protect your final wishes, contact us today!

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