In a case that will surely rivet many a NY estate attorney, we have two women who claim that they are the rightful heir to Lucille Ball's personal belongings.
Susie Morton, the wife of the late Gary Morton, was planning to hold an auction with Heritage Auctions of the late Lucille Ball's memorabilia. The late Gary Morton was the late Lucille Ball's second husband. Courthouse News reports that Lucille Ball's daughter, Lucy Arnaz Luckinbill claims that the items offered on the auction block do not belong to Susie Morton, but are rightfully hers.
According to TMZ, the lawsuit was filed by Susie Morton in L.A. County Superior Court in order to ensure that she has rightful ownership of the items. She intends to make sure that the auction runs smoothly.
According to Courthouse News, in the lawsuit, Morton claims that Lucille Ball willed her residential real property in Palm Springs "along with the furniture, furnishings, household equipment and appliances located therein" to Gary Morton. Susie Morton claims that some of the property willed to the late Gary Morton included Lucille Ball's "jewelry, furs, clothing and personal effects," artwork and autographed photographs." Susie Morton inherited his personal property after upon his death; she claims that includes all of the items that her late husband inherited from Lucille Ball.
When she arranged to auction off the items, Susie Morton claims that she was contacted by Lucy Arnaz Luckinbill's attorney "that the items of Morton personal property were Lucille Ball's 'personal effects' and should have been distributed to her [Luckinbill]."
Susie Morton now seeks declaratory judgment, a restraining order and injunction in order to be able to proceed with the auction.
Related Resources:
- State Laws: Estates & Probate (FindLaw)
- Call A New York Estate Planning Lawyer (FindLaw)
- State Probate Courts (FindLaw)
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