Gary Coleman’s Probate Drama 2 WILLS, HAND-WRITTEN CODICIL SPARK LEGAL WAR
Gary Coleman’s death at age 42 in 2010 led to one of the most convoluted probate battles in celebrity estate history. Although he left only modest assets, the fight over his will and remains spiraled into a legal saga filled with dramatic courtroom testimony and personal revelations. Coleman had signed multiple wills: a 1999 document naming a former manager as his executor and a 2005 will naming his longtime assistant and friend, Anna Gray, as executor and sole beneficiary. Even though he divorced Shannon Price in 2008, Coleman had allegedly added a handwritten codicil in 2007, leaving everything to her. Price asserted they continued living together as husband and wife, despite the divorce, claiming a common‑law marriage under Utah law. This twist turned a probate hearing into a character trial. Price’s legal team presented witnesses (bank officers, Coleman’s agent, and relatives) who testified that the couple filed joint taxes, shared bank accounts, and called each other husband and wife. But Anna
public reputation as a wife, a key requirement for common‑law recognition in Utah. In May 2012, after three days of explosive testimony, Judge James Taylor ruled that Price failed to show a recognized common‑law marriage with Coleman at the time of his death. This meant that the 2005 will naming Anna Gray as executor and beneficiary stood as the controlling document. So, what did Coleman actually leave behind? His estate amounted to little more than his home ($315,000), royalty payments, and possessions. The real value lay in deciding who controlled Coleman’s name, ashes, and remaining intellectual property. Adding to court records, Shannon Price was the person who authorized turning off Coleman’s life support when he fell and suffered a brain hemorrhage in 2010. Whether that gave her moral or legal standing remained hotly debated, but in probate court, she lost.
And in the end, the probate judge settled the matter: Anna Gray inherited what remained of Coleman’s estate, his ashes, and control over the disposition of his name and legacy.
Gray’s side countered with a strong testimony. The judge questioned whether Price had established a
PUMPKIN DUMP CAKE
Ingredients
Inspired by CookiesAndCups.com
• 1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin • 1 (10 oz) can evaporated milk • 1 cup light brown sugar • 3 eggs • 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 box yellow cake mix • 1 cup coarsely crushed graham crackers or pecans • 1/2 cup toffee bits (optional) • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat a 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside. 2. In a large bowl, add pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs, and pumpkin pie spice. 3. Stir to combine and pour into the prepared pan. 4. Sprinkle the entire box of cake mix on top, followed by nuts or graham crackers and toffee bits. 5. Pour melted butter evenly on top. 6. Bake for 45–50 minutes, until the center is set and edges are lightly browned. 7. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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