Late ESPN Host Stuart Scott's Family Court Battle Put On Pause Over Fears His Estate Will Be Wiped Out
The family of late ESPN host Stuart Scott is trying to work out a deal to end their legal battle, which was burning through the money he left them.
According to court documents obtained by The Blast, a judge has granted a motion by Scott’s ex-wife Kimberely Scott. Kimberely sued Disney accusing them of owing her $162k from Stuart’s retirement account.
Kimberely pleaded for the lawsuit to be stayed to allow them all to try and resolve their issues.She said lawsuit along with Stuart’s daughter’s separate lawsuit against the co-trustees of his estate. They accuse the co-trustees of wasting their father’s money and not paying them money owed.
Kimberely said, “To date there has been four days of hearings, with a total of four lawyers, and another nine days are scheduled during November and December. The legal fees and liabilities/damages caused to the Beneficiaries Trust are close to wiping out all the Trust assets unless the parties are able to resolve the issues without further litigation.
“In the present action there has been extensive settlement negotiations,” said Kimberely.
The judge granted the motion and stayed the entire case until January 6, 2020.
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Earlier this year, Kimberely sued Disney and Fidelity Workplace Services accusing them of paying the money owed to her to Stuart’s trust. She said they paid out $162,899.04 that was owed to her.
Kimberely filed for divorce from Stuart in 2007. He was ordered to pay her $162,899.04 plus interest from his Disney Savings and Investment Plan 401k Account.
Stuart died on January 4, 2015 without ever complying with the divorce decree to transfer the $162k. Kimberely tried to collect on the money after his death but was told the money was already paid out.
The Walt Disney Company then sued the Scott's estate over the $162,000 he left behind. They asked the court to figure out who was owed the money. Disney sued The Stuart O. Scott Family Trust and the broadcaster’s ex-wife Kimberley Scott.
Disney claimed at the time of his death Stuart listed his family trust as the beneficiary to his retirement. They distributed his funds to his trust prior to receiving notice from Kimberely.
Disney feared they could inadvertently allow the wrong party to withdraw the assets.
In their lawsuit, Scott’s daughters, Taelor and Sydni Scott, sued Susan Scott and Charles Silver, the co-trustees of the Stuart O. Scott Family Trust.
Scott put a plan in place for the daughters to be the beneficiaries of his estate.
Since his death, they claimed the co-trustees have failed to do their job on multiple occasions including failing to open an official estate or take inventory of all his asserts. They claim they have also charged significant fees and failed to profit off their father’s work like his book “Every Day I Fight: Making a Difference, Kicking Cancer’s Ass.”
The battle is ongoing.
