• 06
  • February
    2012

If country legend Jim Reeves were still alive today, he might be able to fashion a hit song out of the sad saga in which his family is embroiled.

When Reeves died in 1964, he left the vast majority of his estate - including the proceeds from the use of his music - to his wife. At last report, the estate was generating more than $400,000 in income each year.

Reeves' widow, Mary Reeves Davis, died last year, leaving the future of Reeves' legacy in question.

New Husband Wants a Bigger Slice of the Pie

After Jim Reeves died, his wife married a man named Terry Davis. They were married for 30 years before Reeves Davis died in 1999.

In her will, Reeves Davis left the bulk of her estate to Jim Reeves' niece and nephew. She left her husband just one lump-sum payment of $100,000.

Terry Davis challenged the will, arguing that he was entitled to a larger share of his late wife's estate. The niece and nephew disagreed, arguing that the will should be upheld and that Jim Reeves' legacy should stay with his family.

Davis brought a lawsuit against the estate. After 12 years of delays, the trial commenced in a South Carolina probate court late last month. Davis will be representing himself - he fired six lawyers before the trial started.

Mary Reeves Davis's mental wellness is expected to be a key issue in the trial. She was allegedly suffering from dementia when she and Davis made deals to sell Jim Reeves' memorabilia and royalty rights. Social workers who visited her home during that time found that she was living in troubling and unsanitary conditions.

It remains to be seen how the court will resolve this dispute. There is, however, a valuable lesson that all of us can take away - preparing an estate plan early, while you are still mentally healthy, can go a long way toward preventing conflict after you pass.

Source: The State, "Lawsuit Over Estate of Jim Reeves' Widow Under Way," Jan. 24, 2012.