Singers’s family takes matter to court

North Carolina residents may know that the singer known as Bobby Vee died in October 2016 because of Alzheimer’s disease. He started his career in a February 1958 concert when he filled in for scheduled acts who were killed in a plane crash the morning of the show. Now, two of his children are suing their siblings for mishandling estate money for their benefit and for the benefit of Rockhouse Production.

The two siblings named in the lawsuit have managed Rockhouse since 2000 and had been touring with their father since 1994. Part of a petition filed in Stearns County District Court revolves around a stage production called “Teen Idol: The Bobby Vee Story”. According to the petition, the two children who filed it along with their mother objected to the play, and it was only supposed to go on if all four children agreed to it.

The plaintiffs in the case seek over $50,000 in damages from their two brothers. All four children were equal beneficiaries of Bobby Vee’s estate and were trustees of a trust created in June 2015. The singer’s daughter was named guardian and conservator of the estate. The petition asks that the defendants in the case be removed as co-trustees for breaching the trust.

A quality estate plan may reduce the odds of family infighting after the death of a parent. It may be worthwhile to talk with an attorney prior to creating estate planning documents to increase the odds that they help meet an individual’s wishes. Legal counsel may also be helpful in the event that a dispute does arise relating to the terms of a trust or who has the ability to make decisions relating to assets split among many family members.