Sister files papers in court claiming Prince died without a will.
Recently deceased entertainer Prince apparently died without a will and the likelihood that a messy estate battle is coming is reported in the USA Today article "Prince died without a will, sister says."
The musician's sister has filed a petition with the court asserting that he did not have a will and she is asking that a special administrator be named to oversee the estate and Prince's business interests. Prince's closest living relatives are his sister, several half-siblings and his nieces and nephews.
He was not married and did not have any children.
Exactly how Prince's estate will be divided up under Minnesota law is unclear. One thing is certain, however. Prince left behind what is guaranteed to be a long and very messy case for the probate court to clean up.
Not having an estate plan could cause unknown people to claim kinship. It could also cause people to claim to be creditors and business associates. This is an estate that will not be closed anytime soon.
An estate planning attorney can help avoid a difficult fight over an estate.
Reference: USA Today (April 26, 2016) "Prince died without a will, sister says."