Fred Thompson's Widow Ordered to Hand Over Estate Records

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

The widow of the late U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson has been ordered to turn over records showing any asset transfers or changes in beneficiaries in the months preceding his death in late 2015.
In a four-page order issued this week, Davidson Probate Judge David "Randy" Kennedy ordered Jeri Thompson to provide the records to the late actor's two oldest children, Fred D Thompson and Daniel Thompson by Feb. 22.
Thompson's two older sons have charged that Jeri Thompson was attempting to change her husband's estate plan at a time when he was no longer legally competent to approve any changes.
The will actually filed in Thompson's estate was dated over a decade before his Nov. 1, 2015 death and did not mention the two children born after his marriage to Jeri.
Kennedy's order followed a Jan. 23 hearing on the issue.
The order requires Jeri Thompson to provide copies of deeds prepared by ta Nashville law firm in October of 2015 regarding property in Florida.
The order also applies to any change in beneficiaries on life insurance policies between July 2015 and October 2015.
The same information must be turned over regarding Thompson's pension from the Screen Actor Guild.
Under the order information on all accounts and assets must also be provided, though the order specifically excludes account numbers.
The dispute arose after a Nashville law firm, Waller Lansden Dortch and Davis submitted a claim against Thompson's estate for $14,450. The filing included detailed information on efforts to the amend the retired actor's estate plans.
The two sons, children of Thompson's first marriage, then filed their claims.
Jeri Thompson responded by stating that the only change was in the contingent beneficiary on a life insurance policy. And, she said, that change proved inconsequential because she was the primary beneficiary and had already collected on the policy.
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