Aretha Franklin's Sons Contest Validity of Newly Discovered Will

Photo by Gilles Petard/Redferns

The new will, scribbled together on loose leaf by Franklin herself, completely cuts her first son out of the asset split.

The four sons of Aretha Franklin are headed to court next month to challenge the legality of a newly surfaced will.

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Discovered earlier this month in a lockbox stashed under a couch cushion in the home of the late Queen of Soul, the will is handwritten on a loose-leaf paper and stands to rework the split of her assets if it is acknowledged as valid by the court. In accordance with Michigan state law, Franklin's estate was to be evenly distributed amongst her four living sons, as there was no will in place at the time of her death.

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Now, according to The New York Times, her oldest son, Clarence -- who was born when the singer was just 12-years--old -- has been completely removed from the split. The eldest of Franklin's sons is 64 and currently lives in a group home. The estate executor, Sabrina Owens (Franklin's niece,) also stands to lose her role. The recently surfaced will appears to appoint her youngest son, Kecalf, to executor, though that is also being contested due to the will's at times illegible scribbling.

A court will hear the complaints of the Franklin Family on June 17th. Stay tuned for updates in the weeks ahead.