Judge declares Prince's six siblings heirs to his estate
MINNEAPOLIS -- A Minnesota judge has ruled that Prince's six siblings are the heirs to his estate.
In a ruling made public Friday, Carver County District Judge Kevin Eide declared that Prince died without a will and that his sister, Tyka Nelson, and his five half-siblings are his rightful heirs.
Some individuals whose claims of heirship were rejected have filed appeals. Eide said that if the appellate courts send those cases back to him, he will still fully consider them.
The judge had previously said he wouldn't declare the siblings as heirs until those appeals had been decided. Attorneys for those who appealed said their interests would be harmed if the district court didn't wait out the appeals process.
But Eide said Friday that Prince's assets won't be distributed without a formal court order and that nothing will be distributed that might adversely affect the claims of those with pending appeals.
Prince died April 21, 2016 of an accidental drug overdose. Court filings suggest his estate is worth around $200 million. Federal and state estate taxes are expected to consume about half the value.