Priscilla Presley, the widow of the legendary rock and roll icon Elvis Presley, has taken legal action to challenge an amendment in her late daughter Lisa Marie’s trust.
The American actress and businesswoman filed documents contesting the amendment after Lisa Marie passed away earlier this month at the age of 54 following two cardiac arrests.
According to the court documents obtained by The New York Post, the amendment, which was added seven years ago, eliminates Priscilla as a trustee and instead names Lisa Marie’s eldest daughter, Riley, and son Benjamin Keough as the new trustees.
However, the legality of the amendment is being challenged, as Priscilla claims she only discovered it after her daughter’s death and that there are inconsistencies with the document. She claims that the late Lisa Maire’s signature ‘appears inconsistent with her usual and customary signature’.
The court filing states: “Lisa Marie Presley appointed her mother, Petitioner, and her former business manager, Barry Siegel, as co-Trustees effective as of the date of the 2010 restatement. The 2010 restatement further provides that Petitioner and Barry Siegel shall continue to serve as co-Trustees upon Lisa Marie Presley’s subsequent incapacity and/or death.”
The court document lists other issues surrounding the authenticity and validity of the Purported 2016 Amendment, such as the fact that it was neither witnessed nor notarized, and that no provisions of the Purported 2016 Amendment appear on the signature page.
Priscilla is asking the judge to declare the amendment invalid and is seeking answers as to why it was made in the first place. It is important to note that Lisa Marie had previously sued her former business manager, Barry Siegel, for mismanaging her assets and the two had cut ties.
With Benjamin having passed away in July of 2020, Riley would be the only trustee of her mother’s estate if the amendment were to be deemed valid. However, with Priscilla’s legal challenge, the validity of the amendment is now in question.
“There are many issues surrounding the authenticity and validity of the Purported 2016 Amendment,” the court document states. “The Purported 2016 Amendment was never delivered to Petitioner during Lisa Marie Presley’s lifetime as required by the express terms of the Trust.”
This legal challenge adds to the already difficult grieving process for the Presley family, but it is a necessary step for Priscilla to take in order to understand the circumstances surrounding her daughter’s final wishes and to ensure that they are carried out accordingly.
