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Judge to determine whether Aretha Franklin's handwritten wills should be upheld

Posted at 4:30 AM, Jun 17, 2019
and last updated 2019-06-17 05:38:12-04

(WXYZ) — A judge will consider whether or not handwritten wills found in the home of Aretha Franklin should be upheld.

Originally, her family did not believe she had a will, but the handwritten wills were discovered after her death.

Her niece Sabrina Owens notified the court in writing that while cleaning Franklin's home in May, she found a key to a locked cabinet. It was there that two handwritten wills written in 2010 were discovered.

Then, under a couch cushion, she found a spiral notebook with another will written in 2014.

The 2010 will requires two of Aretha's four sons to go to business school in order to receive their whole inheritance. The will also insults some of her attorneys, where she even calls one "pathetic."

The hearing will take place in Oakland County probate court at 2 p.m.