J. Howard Marshall

Following Marshall's death, Anna Nicole Smith (who died on February 8, 2007) became involved in a court battle with her former stepson, E. Pierce Marshall (who died on June 20, 2006). J. Howard's will and trust did not include Anna Nicole or J. Howard's other son, J. Howard Marshall III. The legal dispute worked its way through both state and federal courts as Anna Nicole and J. Howard III sought to overturn the will and trust. In 2001, they both lost their cases during a six-month Texas state court jury trial, upholding Marshall's will and trust.

During the probate proceedings, Smith declared bankruptcy in California and was awarded $474 million as a sanction for alleged misconduct. In 2002, the bankruptcy judgment was vacated and her award was reduced to $88 million in a Federal District Court in California. In December 2004, a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the District Court decision under the probate exception, ruling that the federal courts lacked jurisdiction over state probate matters. The 9th Circuit decision also affirmed the primacy of Texas Probate decision which determined that no misconduct had taken place and that Smith was not one of J. Howard Marshall's heirs. However, on May 1, 2006, the Supreme Court in Marshall v. Marshall reversed the ninth circuit's decision regarding the probate exception, allowing Smith another opportunity to pursue her claims in federal court. Read Less