Andre Norton Estate in Court

Andre Norton’s heirs are in court fighting for control of the rights to 130 of her books with royalty income worth perhaps $70,000-$80,000 per year, according to an Associated Press story.

There are two main litigants for the lion’s share of the estate. Norton’s longtime fan, Victor Horadam, was left “the royalties from all posthumous publication of any of my works.” Sue Stewart, Norton’s caretaker at the end of her life, was named as the beneficiary of the “residuary clause” – all other property or money not explicitly assigned in the will. Stewart is arguing that the will intends for her, not Horadam, to get the royalty income from any works published before Norton died. Horadam went to court, asking a judge to provide an interpretation of “posthumous publication.”

Norton moved to Murfreesboro, a Nashville suburb, in the 1990s and established a writer’s research library. As she got older, the library was closed, and Norton, who had no children or other close relatives, moved in with her caretaker, Sue Stewart. Over the years, she gave Stewart more than $250,000, according to court testimony.

The case is under review by the Tennessee Court of Appeals.

[Thanks to Mike Deckinger for the link.]

One thought on “Andre Norton Estate in Court

  1. Meanwhile, these Norton titles are on Project Gutenberg:

    # The Defiant Agents (English)
    # The Gifts of Asti (English)
    # Key Out of Time (English)
    # Plague Ship (English)
    # Ralestone Luck (English)
    # Rebel Spurs (English)
    # Ride Proud, Rebel! (English)
    # Star Born (English)
    # Star Hunter (English)
    # Storm Over Warlock (English)
    # The Time Traders (English)
    # Voodoo Planet (English)

    http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/n#a7021

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