At 82, Harlan Douglass couldn\u2019t pay his own bills or make sense of numbers. Yet two of his children had him sign paperwork they\u2019d drafted themselves, with terms he knew nothing about, a Spokane judge found.<\/p>\n
As a result, a court has tossed out the paperwork, and Harley \u2014 the son that Douglass\u2019 altered will left with just $1,000 \u2014 could inherit an estimated $1 billion, the Spokesman-Review reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n Must Read<\/p>\n A single line on your car insurance policy could be inflating your premium by up to 30% \u2014 here’s what to change<\/a><\/p>\n Harlan<\/a>, a Spokane real estate developer<\/a>, died Nov. 26, 2023, at 86, after dementia and Alzheimer\u2019s 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\u2019s younger siblings, Lanzce Douglass and Stacey Douglass Boies, unduly influenced their father.<\/p>\n What the judge found<\/p>\n The judge<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n The altered version had given<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n Jason Burnett, Lanzce\u2019s attorney, told<\/a> the Spokesman-Review that appeal plans aren\u2019t settled. Moneywise reached out for comment, but did not hear back in time for publication.<\/p>\n Why they could get nothing<\/p>\n Washington law says<\/a> no \u201cabuser shall in any way acquire any property or receive any benefit as the result of the death of the decedent.\u201d The statute defines an abuser as someone who \u201ctakes part in the willful and unlawful financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult,\u201d and a court must find this by \u201cclear, cogent and convincing evidence.\u201d<\/p>\n Harley\u2019s attorney, Steve Hassing, called<\/a> the ruling \u201ca spectacular win\u201d and says Harley will likely receive all of the money in the end. That depends on whether the judge decides that Lanzce and Stacey\u2019s children can inherit under the earlier will.<\/p>\n The $1 billion figure is also an estimate. At stake<\/a> are an estate worth about $600 million, a $350 million real estate portfolio and $155 million in promissory notes, the Spokesman-Review reported.<\/p>\n Subscribe to Moneywise: Get Warren Buffett\u2019s best investing lessons in 1 free guide<\/a><\/p>\n A history of family fights<\/p>\n Courts have now sided with Harley twice<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n 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<\/a> that the scheme was \u201cclear, convincing, and inescapable.\u201d<\/p>\n Also, in 2010, Harley sued<\/a> his siblings over a $685,000 settlement tied to a property the three jointly owned.<\/p>\n How to protect an aging parent<\/p>\n Families can\u2019t always prevent a dispute like this, but the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) lists warning signs<\/a>, including when \u201csomeone pressures your loved one to make a financial decision, change a will, deed or trust or sign a document \u2018now\u2019\u201d and when documents are signed after a person can no longer write.<\/p>\n The agency says you don\u2019t need proof before reporting suspected abuse to your state\u2019s Adult Protective Services<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re choosing someone to hold power of attorney, the CFPB says<\/a> it\u2019s crucial that they\u2019re someone you trust. It suggests consulting a lawyer and discussing the choice with other trusted friends or relatives.<\/p>\n What To Read Next<\/p>\n