Carley’s Corner – The Casey Kasem Estate

Casey Kasem was an American DJ, actor and radio personality who was best known for creating the American Top 40, and for voicing the beloved character of Shaggy in the Scooby-Doo franchise. He was a legacy in the entertainment industry paving the way for many to come, and always had multiple projects on the go – did you know that his voice has been used in over 100 television commercials? Casey was also a big family man, having been married twice and having 4 children.  

In October of 2013 it was announced that Casey was battling Parkinson’s disease after being diagnosed in 2007. His condition left him unable to speak, and as his health declined his current wife Jean prevented his children from his first marriage from having any contact with their father. This led to months of public disputes, court orders, and protests. Jean had moved Kasem from his nursing home in California to Washington state without the children knowing in May of 2014, weeks before Casey eventually passed away on June 15th from sepsis.  

It was reported that Casey had made it known that he wanted to be buried in California, however when the funeral home released his body to Jean she had it moved immediately to Montreal with plans for him to be buried in Norway where he was eventually placed in December of 2014 without the knowledge or presence of his children. 

In November of 2015, Casey’s three children from his first marriage sued Jean for wrongful death, as well as elder abuse and inflicting emotional distress by restricting access to their father before his death. The suits were eventually settled privately in 2019. 

Casey had expressed to his team of medical professionals in 2011 that his wishes were for his daughter Kerri, from his first marriage, to step into the role of Power of Attorney for Personal Care for him when the time came; however, he never went as far as to create an actual Power of Attorney document. Casey not having these documents as a part of his estate plan opened the door for his children and current wife to battle over who should be given the power to make his decisions for him, and ultimately led to the kidnapping of his corpse.  

The main take away lesson from Casey’s estate is the importance of having all of your documents in place and ensuring you are including Power of Attorney documents in your estate plans. With these types of plans in place, you are in complete control of yourself and are in control of your assets, while also reducing the chances of family fights and litigation.  

At ETP Canada, we know that settling a loved one’s estate can be a challenging and overwhelming task to take on. We’re here to help ease the burden, and help you navigate your next steps. To book a free phone consultation with a member of our team, click here. 

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.