At 82, Harlan Douglass couldn’t pay his own bills or make sense of numbers. Yet two of his children had him sign paperwork they’d drafted themselves, with terms he knew nothing about, a Spokane judge found.

As a result, a court has tossed out the paperwork, and Harley — the son that Douglass’ altered will left with just $1,000 — could inherit an estimated $1 billion, the Spokesman-Review reported.

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Harlan, a Spokane real estate developer, died Nov. 26, 2023, at 86, after dementia and Alzheimer’s disease took hold. On Oct. 26 of this this year, Spokane Superior Court Judge Jacquelyn High-Edward sided with his eldest son, who had challenged the will changes. She found that Harley’s younger siblings, Lanzce Douglass and Stacey Douglass Boies, unduly influenced their father.

What the judge found

The judge tossed the promissory notes, which were payable to Lanzce, Stacey and their children that totaled $155 million. She also canceled the real estate transfers made out to the two siblings. In the end, the judge reinstated the version of the will that predates 2019, which divides his estate equally among his three kids.

The altered version had given Lanzce 65% and Stacey 35%. On the stand, the siblings said the shift followed their reconciliations with Harlan and balanced out what Harley had already received over the years, including an inheritance from their mother.

Jason Burnett, Lanzce’s attorney, told the Spokesman-Review that appeal plans aren’t settled. Moneywise reached out for comment, but did not hear back in time for publication.

Why they could get nothing

Washington law says no “abuser shall in any way acquire any property or receive any benefit as the result of the death of the decedent.” The statute defines an abuser as someone who “takes part in the willful and unlawful financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult,” and a court must find this by “clear, cogent and convincing evidence.”

Harley’s attorney, Steve Hassing, called the ruling “a spectacular win” and says Harley will likely receive all of the money in the end. That depends on whether the judge decides that Lanzce and Stacey’s children can inherit under the earlier will.

The $1 billion figure is also an estimate. At stake are an estate worth about $600 million, a $350 million real estate portfolio and $155 million in promissory notes, the Spokesman-Review reported.

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A history of family fights

Courts have now sided with Harley twice over a disputed inheritance. After their mother, Maxine, died, her will was also altered to leave much of her estate to Lanzce and Stacey. Her 2008 will left 50% of her estate to Harley.

In that case, witnesses said Harlan kept falling asleep as he signed the altered will. In 2023, Spokane County Superior Court Judge Raymond Clary ruled that the scheme was “clear, convincing, and inescapable.”

Also, in 2010, Harley sued his siblings over a $685,000 settlement tied to a property the three jointly owned.

How to protect an aging parent

Families can’t always prevent a dispute like this, but the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) lists warning signs, including when “someone pressures your loved one to make a financial decision, change a will, deed or trust or sign a document ‘now’” and when documents are signed after a person can no longer write.

The agency says you don’t need proof before reporting suspected abuse to your state’s Adult Protective Services.

If you’re choosing someone to hold power of attorney, the CFPB says it’s crucial that they’re someone you trust. It suggests consulting a lawyer and discussing the choice with other trusted friends or relatives.

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