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Probate litigation: Stan Lee’s heir wants intellectual property

The passing of comic book icon Stan Lee left many fans in Illinois and across the country grieving a great loss but also admiring a tremendous legacy. Lee’s work will continue to be enjoyed by comic book enthusiasts for decades to come. His creative contributions to the comic book world left quite a legacy. Lee’s heir, a daughter who was designated as a trustee to the Lee Family Survivor’s Trust, has initiated probate litigation regarding her late father’s intellectual property.

Lee was 95 when he died in November. He had filed a $1 billion lawsuit against POW! Entertainment. The claim asserted that POW had taken advantage of Lee’s declining health, inducing him to sign documents under fraudulent pretenses. The claim also accused POW of forging Lee’s signature. The lawsuit was eventually dropped, and a supposed statement by Lee was published saying he was satisfied with the circumstances.

Now, Lee’s daughter, acting in her capacity as Trustee of the Lee Family Survivor’s Trust, is seeking to reclaim her father’s name and likeness rights. She wants to remedy the wrongs she believes were committed against her father for two decades. She claims that an investigation has revealed evidence to prove that her father’s intellectual property was looted by POW. 

The recently-filed lawsuit also alleges that the defendants registered online domains using her father’s name in the hope of reselling them at a profit. POW officials have called the lawsuit a “frivolous action” and have stated that Lee’s daughter is using her father’s name to spark family drama. Complex probate litigation can take months, even years, to resolve. Anyone filing a claim in Illinois can increase the chances of accomplishing his or her goals by allowing an experienced probate attorney to represent his or her interests in court.

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