Hearing Set on Dismissal Motion in Thompson Estate

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

A Sept. 29 hearing date has been set to consider a motion by the widow of television star and politician Fred Thompson to dismiss claims of death bed estate changes filed by his two oldest sons by a previous marriage.
Jeri Thompson has denied charges by  Fred Thompson 2nd and Daniel Thompson that she made last minute changes to his estate planning documents to their detriment at a time when the one time presidential candidate was not competent to authorize any changes.
The two sons, meanwhile, have served a subpoena on the law firm that had been conferring with Jeri Thompson and the late U.S. senator in the days before his Nov. 1 death. The subpoena served on the Waller Landsen Dortch and Davis law firm seeks copies of all of Thompson's estate planning documents. It also seeks copies of a deed to a Florida property owned by Thompson.
The Florida property was specifically mentioned in billing records the Waller law firm submitted to justify a $14,550 claim against the estate. Jeri Thompson has disputed that claim.
Jeri Thompson has labeled the sons' charges "gross misrepresentations" and stated that the only changes made were to add a contingent beneficiary to two life insurance policies. The changes had no effect on the $50,000 apiece allotted to Thompson's two oldest sons under the decade old will that was finally filed, according to her court filing.
Her response also noted that the designation of contingency beneficiaries became moot when she, the primary beneficiary, redeemed the two policies.
Jeri Thompson, utilizing a power of attorney, added her son with Thompson, Samuel, as a contingent beneficiary on Oct. 26. Prior to that their daughter Hayden was the 100 percent contingent beneficiary, according to her motion for summary judgment.