SC Judge OKs Settlement Over James Brown Estate

After years of hearings in a protracted battle over how to parcel out James Brown’s wealth, a South Carolina judge approved a settlement Tuesday that gives nearly half of it to his charitable trust, about a quarter to his wife and young son, and the rest to Brown’s adult children.

The settlement was a contrast to the instructions spelled out in Brown’s will and trust after his death on Christmas Day 2006. Some of Brown’s adult children contested the bequest, claiming their father’s estate was mismanaged by trustees.

“I find that the settlement is just and reasonable and provides a just and reasonable result for the charitable beneficiaries,” Judge Jack Early wrote. “From the perspective of the charitable beneficiaries, the risks of not approving the settlement agreement are substantial.”

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Pictured:  Singer James Brown performs October 18, 2002 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Scott Harrison/Getty Images)