It has been nearly a decade since the legendary James Brown passed, but there is still an ongoing tug-of-war over the singer’s estate.
The Associated Press reports that yesterday, a South Carolina judge ordered the release of emails that would divulge information from the diary of Brown’s widow as well as reveal an appraisal of his assets and how much the state should assist financially to help alleviate legal charges. The state Attorney General will have 10 days to turn over the emails.
The release of documents comes courtesy of journalist Suzanne Summers, who put in a formal request for the documents through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). She has been investigating whether this lawsuit has affected one of the main requests of Brown’s will—he requested that a large percentage of his money go to charities to help fund scholarships for underprivileged students.
The original settlement, which was reached shortly after Brown’s death, gave a percentage of his money to his widow, another portion to his children and the rest to a charitable organization. However, last February, the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that the settlement largely ignored Brown’s scholarship request.