question mark

The decision to seal the will of author Harper Lee continues to draw questions and speculation.

Controversy surrounded author Harper Lee in the final years of her life including the contradiction of stating she did not want to publish a sequel to her novel To Kill a Mockingbird yet another of her novels was published prior to her death.

Questions were raised over the publication including whether the author was forced by her attorney Tonja Carter into publishing the book. After Lee passed away, Carter requested that the author’s will be sealed. That request was granted and has been surrounded by controversy ever since.

Now, the Daily Mail reports new details about that decision in “Harper Lee’s multi-million dollar will was made secret by judge who has NEVER sealed the hundreds of wills he has overseen and admits he is a friend of her controversial lawyer.”

As the headline suggests the judge reports that despite presiding over hundreds of other wills, he has never before sealed a will and that he is also Carter’s friend. Additionally, no one was notified of the application to seal the will or of the hearing on it.

Carter was the only one in attendance at that hearing.

For her part, Carter has refused to answer whether she is an heir to Lee’s estate. The article has many more details about this case and the numerous controversial decisions that Carter has made concerning Harper Lee’s estate.

Reference: Daily Mail (April 6, 2016) “Harper Lee’s multi-million dollar will was made secret by judge who has NEVER sealed the hundreds of wills he has overseen and admits he is a friend of her controversial lawyer.

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Mr. Amoruso concentrates his practice on Elder Law, Comprehensive Estate Planning, Asset Preservation, Estate Administration and Guardianship.