Key Takeaways
- Virginia Giuffre, who allegedly suffered abuse by Jeffrey Epstein, has left behind a multi-million-dollar estate after her death by suicide.
- Her sons, Christian and Noah, are seeking to control her estate, but her lawyer and former carer have filed a counterclaim.
- The counterclaim includes a handwritten will that appoints the lawyer and former carer as executors and trustees of the estate.
- The estate is believed to be worth millions, including a reported 12 million British pounds out-of-court settlement with Prince Andrew.
- The case is currently underway in Western Australia’s Supreme Court, with a registrar raising concerns about the involvement of Giuffre’s estranged husband and daughter.
Introduction to the Case
The legal battle over Virginia Giuffre’s estate has begun in Western Australia’s Supreme Court. Giuffre, who allegedly suffered abuse by Jeffrey Epstein, died by suicide at her rural property in April, leaving behind multiple assets in Western Australia. The 41-year-old had not lodged a will, and the legal process is underway to determine who will control her estate. Giuffre’s sons, Christian and Noah, who are listed as the plaintiffs in the civil case, applied to be the administrators of their mother’s estate in June.
The Counterclaim
The defendants, Giuffre’s lawyer Karrie Loudon and her former carer Cheryl Myers, filed a counterclaim that seeks to make them administrators of the estate. In documents filed to the court, they claim that Giuffre created an informal, handwritten will in the weeks before she died, which should be considered legally valid. The will allegedly contains a paragraph that appoints Loudon and Myers as Giuffre’s executors and trustees. Registrar Danielle Davies raised several concerns during the hearing, including that Giuffre’s estranged husband, Robert, and daughter should be involved in the case.
The Handwritten Will
The court was told that when the writ was filed in June, Robert Giuffre agreed to it. However, that was before Loudon and Myers’s counterclaim, which seeks to remove his entitlement to the estate. Registrar Davies said that their counterclaim affected Robert Giuffre and that he should be joined as a party to the proceedings. The handwritten will is a crucial piece of evidence in the case, as it allegedly expresses Giuffre’s wishes for the administration of her estate. The court will need to determine whether the will is legally valid and whether it should be considered in the decision-making process.
The Estate’s Value
Giuffre’s estate is believed to be worth millions, including a reported 12 million British pounds out-of-court settlement with Prince Andrew. The settlement was made after Giuffre claimed that she was sexually abused by Prince Andrew as a teenager. Prince Andrew has vigorously denied these claims. Giuffre also reportedly received money from Epstein in 2009 when she settled a lawsuit against him. The estate’s value and the various settlements and lawsuits are likely to be important factors in the court’s decision-making process.
The Court Proceedings
The WA Supreme Court appointed Ian Torrington Blatchford to manage Giuffre’s estate on an interim basis earlier this week. Registrar Davies ordered the parties to lodge further legal documents and indicated that she would set another court hearing next year. The court proceedings are ongoing, and the outcome is still uncertain. The case has sparked significant interest and attention, given the high-profile nature of Giuffre’s allegations against Prince Andrew and Epstein.
Conclusion and Next Steps
The legal battle over Giuffre’s estate is complex and multifaceted, involving various parties and interests. The court will need to carefully consider the evidence and the competing claims to determine who should control the estate. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of having a valid will and the potential consequences of not having one. The next steps in the case will be crucial in determining the outcome, and the court’s decision will likely have significant implications for the parties involved.