From TMZ:

Prince's sister Tyka has filed legal docs to open a probate case ... and she says as far as she can tell he left no will.

TMZ has obtained documents filed in Minnesota, asking that she be appointed to probate Prince's estate. She's asking the judge to appoint her as a "special administrator." Under Minnesota law, a special administrator is someone who is appointed when there is no executor named in a will.

Tyka says in her docs, "I do not know of the existence of a will and have no reason to believe that the decedent executed testamentary documents in any form."

If Prince did indeed die without a will, the estate is divided equally among his siblings.

Tyka lists the people who are potential beneficiaries ... all of whom are half brothers and sisters. They are John, Norrine, Sharon, Alfred and Omar. They are all living siblings of Prince. She also says she's an heir.

It's interesting ... Tyka names Lorna as a deceased half sister who left no kids. Under Minnesota law Lorna's out of the game when it comes to getting assets. But Tyka never even mentions Duane, reportedly Prince's half-brother, who is also deceased.

Tyka then names Bremer Trust, National Association, which she wants to serve as the official administrator of Prince's estate. Tyka says she wants Bremer Bank because they have provided financial services to Prince for years, and they are well versed in his affairs and best suited to protect his assets.

[Edited 4/26/16 10:45am]

having a will would have been a million times better ... not saying Tyka will mess this up, but things would have been easier & definitely much clearer

oh no. This could take years.

JudasLChrist said:

From TMZ:

Prince's sister Tyka has filed legal docs to open a probate case ... and she says as far as she can tell he left no will.

TMZ has obtained documents filed in Minnesota, asking that she be appointed to probate Prince's estate. She's asking the judge to appoint her as a "special administrator." Under Minnesota law, a special administrator is someone who is appointed when there is no executor named in a will.

Tyka says in her docs, "I do not know of the existence of a will and have no reason to believe that the decedent executed testamentary documents in any form."

If Prince did indeed die without a will, the estate is divided equally among his siblings.

Tyka lists the people who are potential beneficiaries ... all of whom are half brothers and sisters. They are John, Norrine, Sharon, Alfred and Omar. They are all living siblings of Prince. She also says she's an heir.

It's interesting ... Tyka names Lorna as a deceased half sister who left no kids. Under Minnesota law Lorna's out of the game when it comes to getting assets. But Tyka never even mentions Duane, reportedly Prince's half-brother, who is also deceased.

Tyka then names Bremer Trust, National Association, which she wants to serve as the official administrator of Prince's estate. Tyka says she wants Bremer Bank because they have provided financial services to Prince for years, and they are well versed in his affairs and best suited to protect his assets.

[Edited 4/26/16 8:53am]

How does TMZ keep getting info before anyone else in the world? Who are these people?

SHITSHOW

Like the news of his passing werent bad enough....

Very very disappoinintg to hear this news....ugh

Oh Prince... c'mon please let this not be true. How can you not have a will? Then again it doesn't surprise me as this was man that didn't understand why he couldn't have a camel in the middle of winter in Minneapolis.

I personally thought he would gift it all to charity considering all the humantarian work he did.

What if he did write a will and it's on his laptop, it just hasn't been filed yet officially? I assume it wouldn't be legally binding yet it would be morally wrong to disregard a will even if he hasn't filed it yet.

Anyway, I'm afraid it's going to be a very long and nasty legal battle :/

Damn...... This is not good.. let the circus begin! I refuse to believe he'd not have some plan just in case....

as i stated earlier.. Londell stated that he thought he'd live forever..As good any attorney maybe, ultimately, its their clients choice on how to move forward

Well, there's his HUGE list of unreleased music and video.
Tyka will have interesting approaches by Warners and other blood sucking lawyers, who will tell her what's best for her (them) to do. This is how it always goes. Or let's hope Maurice Philip, Tyka's husband is wise enough...

-

Seems like it's all very unclear for.

We'll wait and see.

-

This can take a long time.

But assumptions are always out of tune.

So, chill and love, and wait.

[Edited 4/26/16 9:19am]

Well, my phone is blowing up with alerts from AP and USA Today stating that it is true. No will.

Dauphin said:

I have a very hard time understanding how a businessman with an extensive personal fortune and assets has no will, or formal documentation directing the company(s) he owned. As much as he worked with lawyers, especially since the entire catalog battle. The man was surrounded by laywers.

Because Prince was a wacky, eccentric artist (which we love him for) and wacky people do wacky things. Think of all the crazy things he has done throughout the years...saying the internet was over, etc. This is just another one of them.

by the way,

I think there will be a LOT of artists right now calling their lawyer(s), asking to make up a will :/

Prince sure isn't the only one. But unfortunately the most exposed right now for that matter.

mightycow said:

having a will would have been a million times better ... not saying Tyka will mess this up, but things would have been easier & definitely much clearer

It't not merely that Tyka could mess it up, it's that there's 8 siblings. It's a real potential mess.

FunkiestOne said:

Dauphin said:

I have a very hard time understanding how a businessman with an extensive personal fortune and assets has no will, or formal documentation directing the company(s) he owned. As much as he worked with lawyers, especially since the entire catalog battle. The man was surrounded by laywers.

Because Prince was a wacky, eccentric artist (which we love him for) and wacky people do wacky things. Think of all the crazy things he has done throughout the years...saying the internet was over, etc. This is just another one of them.

touche,, i dont think he cared about it actually,, folsk viewed him as a money hungry artist in here yet from all accounts he is the one great artist who went at great lenghts to not monetize his intellectual property and copyrights

endiadj said:

JudasLChrist said:

From TMZ:

[Edited 4/26/16 8:53am]

How does TMZ keep getting info before anyone else in the world? Who are these people?

Probably followed her ass to the courthouse. They also obviously have someone on the inside.

Man, what a nightmare.

Wow, Prince failed to put his affairs in order before he died. I kinda felt that his do-it-yourself approach to all things would prove a gross miscalculation in the end.

In the absence of a wil, who controls his catalog and who controls the vault? I don't think many of us care about what happens to the money and he probably didn't care either. But his legacy is his music. I honestly feel like all of it should be shared to the world for free.

Vannormal said:

Tyka will have interesting approaches by Warners and other blood sucking lawyers, who will tell her what's best for her (them) to do.

As least that way the music will get out.

They can fight about (dividing) the money (and profits) among themselves.

Dauphin said:

I have a very hard time understanding how a businessman with an extensive personal fortune and assets has no will, or formal documentation directing the company(s) he owned. As much as he worked with lawyers, especially since the entire catalog battle. The man was surrounded by laywers.

Agreed...

Oh there's a will somewhere. He just didn't tell Tyka about it. Because for someone who fought so ferociously to protect his privacy, his image, music and to regain his masters, thete's no way he did think to leave a will with very specific instructions on what would happen to all of that after his demise. He was entirely too much of a control freak for that.

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

Oh there's a will somewhere. He just didn't tell Tyka about it. Because for someone who fought so ferociously to protect his privacy, his image, music and to regain his masters, thete's no way he did think to leave a will with very specific instructions on what would happen to all of that after his demise. He was entirely too much of a control freak for that.

Very good point, I'd like to think you are right.

Pentacle said:

Vannormal said:

Tyka will have interesting approaches by Warners and other blood sucking lawyers, who will tell her what's best for her (them) to do.

As least that way the music will get out.

They can fight about (dividing) the money (and profits) among themselves.

Speaking of blood sucking lawyers... I hope this is bullshit... I dare not make it a stand alone post... http://www.startribune.co...377060521/

Pentacle said:

Vannormal said:

Tyka will have interesting approaches by Warners and other blood sucking lawyers, who will tell her what's best for her (them) to do.

As least that way the music will get out.

Exactly. Prince is the reason most of his own catalog is out of print.

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

Oh there's a will somewhere. He just didn't tell Tyka about it. Because for someone who fought so ferociously to protect his privacy, his image, music and to regain his masters, there's no way he did not think to leave a will with very specific instructions on what would happen to all of that after his demise. He was entirely too much of a control freak for that.