The Probate Lawyer Blog

Melvin Simon was one of the richest men in the Midwest until he died last year, at age 82.  A co-owner of the NBA's Indiana Pacers, he built most of his fortune developing and owning shopping malls.  His assets have been estimated to be worth close to $2 billion.  That vast fortune is tied up in a nasty legal battle over his will and trust, as explained in this prior article of The Probate Lawyer Blog. 

Like many second-marriage situations, the widow, Bren, does not get along with the Mel Simon's children from a prior marriage (to say the least!).  And they aren't too fond of Bren either.  The children, led by daughter Deborah, sued because Simon signed new estate planning documents seven months before he died, raising Bren's inheritance from one-third up to one-half, at the expense of the children.

Why did the kids challenge this (other than the obvious)?  For one, they claim Mel was so sick from cancer, dementia and neurological disorders that he couldn't even hold his pen when he signed the new will and trust. 

William Davidson and Melvin Simon had a lot in common.  Both were billionaires and both were Jewish.  Simon built his fortune through the country's biggest shopping mall company, Simon Property Group, and Forbes estimated his net worth at $1.3 billion.  Davidson led Guardian Industries Corp., one of the world's largest glass suppliers, and had a fortune recently tabbed at $4.5 billion. 

They also each owned NBA franchises in the midwest.  Davidson owned the Detroit Pistons (yeah!), while Simon co-owned the rival Indiana Pacers (boo!) with his brother, Herbert Simon. 

Both men died last year, with Davidson passing away at age 86 in March and Simon passing in October, at age 82.  And both were survived by spouses as well as children from prior marriages.

And, in both instances, the spouse and the children from the prior marriage did not see eye to eye.  Because of that, both the Davidson Estate and Simon Estate are mired in lawsuits about the true wishes of the beloved billionaires.