Robin Williams’ Family Settles Legal Battle Over His Estate
The contentious legal battle over Robin Williams’ estate has finally been resolved.
Susan Schneider Williams, the widow of the late comedian Robin Williams, contested the actor’s will back in December 2014, claiming that she was not receiving enough money to maintain the six-bedroom home she shared with Williams before his suicide in August of last year, reports Michael Miller of People Magazine.
“While it’s hard to speak of this as a win, given it stems from the greatest loss of all, I am deeply grateful to the judge for helping resolve these issues. I can live in peace knowing that my husband’s wishes were honored. I feel like Robin’s voice has been heard and I can finally grieve in the home we shared together. While it was painful to have truckloads of his belongings removed from our home, it’s the few sentimental items I get to hold onto that mean everything to me. I thank God for this.”
Terms of the settlement were not released by the court. Jim Wagstaffe, Susan Williams’ lawyer, stated that, “With an overall estate estimated at more than $100 million, Mrs. Williams will be receiving only a fraction of the overall estate, representing those funds sufficient to allow her to remain in the home for her lifetime.” These items include a pair of bicycles the couple purchased for their honeymoon, a watch that Williams often wore, the couple’s wedding gifts, and select clothing, according to USA Today. Susan Williams will also receive living expenses for the rest of her life, after which time Williams’ kids will inherit the San Francisco bay area property in which she continues to live.
Meredith Bushnell, the legal representative for Williams’ three kids from previous marriage, Zachary, Zelda, and Cody, stated that she believed the children were “very happy to have this behind them.” This after the Williams kids had previously called Susan Williams’ attempts to challenge the trust “heartbreaking,” stating that her actions “added insult to a terrible injury by “acting against his wishes by challenging the plans he so carefully made for his estate.”
In dispute was an over $100 million estate, most of which the will go to the Williams children, that included over 50 bikes, 85 watches, family photos, the tuxedo Williams was married in, and vast memorabilia.
Robin Williams was found dead in August 2014 after hanging himself from a bedpost with his own belt. Williams, who had long suffered from depression, was rumored to have had onset Parkinson’s Disease and lewy body dementia at the time of his passing. His daughter, Zelda Williams, has since spoken out about her own battle with depression, urging other suffering from the disease to seek necessary help.
[Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images]
