Although the girlfriend of deceased painter Thomas Kinkade, Amy Pinto, requested a rental decrease while living in his Monte Sereno mansion, a judge has denied that request.
Pinto sought to get a discount on the rent from $11,000 to $8,500, but the Santa Clara County Probate Court denied this on grounds that because a security guard is required on the property to protect the estate assets the current rental amount is warranted. You'd think that Pinto would be happy with paying the extra for security given that she has made claims that someone has broken into the home and has vandalized her car and the cars of her friends. Pinto's lawyer claims that Kinkade's widow and daughters know the alarm code to the house.
This all stems from those two barely legible handwritten wills that Pinto claims Kinkade wrote months before his death leaving her his house and $10 million to create a museum for his work. Her lawyers have now stated on court record that Kinkade did suffer from a hand tremor and that his lawyer advised him to handwrite his will instead of using more professional means of estate litigation. (Not good advice!)
Judge Thomas Cain has told both sides that they need to submit a list of possessions that both make claim to by December 3rd.
When you have an estate with assets like Kinkade's it is always wise to consult with a professional estate litigation Attorney.
*This blog entry was not written by an Attorney and should not be constituted as professional legal advice.