Carley’s Corner - Jim Morrison’s Estate Mishap
James Douglas Morrison was an American singer, musician, songwriter and poet, who was the lead vocalist for the rock band The Doors. The Doors formed in 1965 and were among the most influential rock groups of the 60’s; mostly due to Morrisons lyrics and voice, along with his erratic stage presence. They moved on to become one of the most successful bands of their time and became the first American band to accumulate eight consecutive gold LPs. The Doors have sold an estimated 33 million albums in the United States and over 100 million records worldwide. (https://www.riaa.com/reports/) The band had become a global sensation when disaster struck on July 3rd, 1971. Jim Morrison suddenly passed away in Paris France at the young age of 27.
When Morrison died, his estate was worth an estimated $400,000, however the assets in his estate became worth around $80 million after his death. Some time prior, Morrison had created a Will that instructed everything was to be left to his wife, Pamela Courson. Jim Morrison had been very vocal about his struggles with his parents throughout his life, and often told people his parents had died when they were in fact alive. It was no surprise that he wanted everything left to his wife Pamela instead of family.
After Morrison’s death, chaos broke out. Multiple women came forward with paternity claims and his own band mates even sued the estate claiming they should have a bigger share in The Doors royalties. This obviously delayed the court process. Pamela Courson received a modest amount of cash to live off, but it wasn’t enough to support her lifestyle. She turned to prostitution to support her drug habit and passed away from a heroin overdose only three years after Jim’s death in 1974.
When Pamela died, she did not have a Will, which meant that the Jim Morrison fortune would then pass to her heirs under the intestate laws in France. Following these laws, Pamela’s parents would receive EVERYTHING from the Jim Morrison estate, including the rights to manage and control Morrison’s image, music and royalties!
Morrison’s parents, who were in fact alive, challenged the results in court claiming that the Will he left behind was not valid as he was not competent when he drafted it. They alleged that he was under the influence of drugs at the time, therefore did not know what he was doing. At the end of the court battles, the Morrison estate ended with an out of court settlement which was reportedly a 50/50 split of cash. However, Pamela Courson’s parents were the ones to walk away with the most important aspect of the estate, they received the rights to Morrison’s image, music and royalties. Courson’s parents reportedly did not like Morrison, did not approve of his relationship with Pamela, and ultimately blamed him for their daughters’ lifestyle and death. Would Jim have wanted his legacy and his estate to be left in the hands of these people? Probably not.
The lesson from this estate nightmare, is simply to have a well drafted Will. If Jim Morrison had created a more complex Will, he could have had the opportunity to decide what happens to his estate in the event that Pamela passed away, and he could have named additional beneficiaries or set up a trust. Pamela died without a Will, which lead to the legal battle between parents, and tons of court delays and complications. You don’t need to be Rockstar to follow this advice. Be prepared and be sure to have a Will! If you need assistance with Estate Administration, contact us today we can help!
This blog is not intended to be legal advice and should not be relied on as such. If you require legal advice, please contact a legal professional concerning your particular circumstances.