does not compute, and clearly puts betty in the wrong.

Dick gets dick. I love your dad's earth crumble into hell line, I will add using that line to my bucket list.

Sure it does.
I need to remember this. When I get old, and if my kids hate each other, making my life hell and keeping me from having decent family get togethers in my final years, no way in hell am i not writing a few questionable notes granting random high value things to random people. Hide them around in books and such to be found after stuff was given out using other means, and the plan is complete. See if I can get the little bastards to finally come to blows.

On a more serious note. I was leaning towards giving it to Richard until I saw he would accept cash. If it's not a sentimental thing, screw him, Father has full claim to it.

"Hey dad, I wouldn't dream of telling you to bury the hatchet with your sister, but for my sake, since I'm the executor, and I've been stuck in the middle of this for two years now and want nothing more at this point than to never have to see or speak to any of that side of the family ever again, can you please please please just do what we all know grandma had in mind to begin with and give Richard the damn chess set? I don't really care if those pricks would see it as some sort of victory over you; it would make my life, your son's life, a hell of a lot less stressful. Please consider it. Love, Unicornface."

Edit: "P.S. I will **** in a box and FedEx it to your sister the instant I find out you have given the chess set to Richard."

If your Dad thinks that your grandparents really wanted the Chess set to go to their grandson he should give the thing to your cousin. But if he thinks this is just a ploy by them to get an extra item then I would just tell them to F off.

Maybe I missed something here, but I do not see why people in this thread are calling the father a dick.

I also do not understand why op mentioned using the $8k left in the trust for anything other than taxes, when that was the stated purpose.

I do not understand how op has any say in whether the father gives the chess set away, when op has already transferred possession of the chess set to the father.

If I were in your shoes, I'd prob send an email to everyone involved offering this as a solution: you get the letter. You take it to one of those handwriting experts along with examples of your grandmother's verified handwriting. If the authority on the matter concludes that your grandmother DID write the letter, then the truth will act on her wishes and give the chess set to Richard, and compensate your dad the value of the set. If she didn't write the letter, your dad keeps the chess set and you look into taking your aunt to court for making up fake legal documents or trying to cheat your dad out of his property, or whatever your lawyers say she's guilty of.


Just curious, you said that your grandmother's estate got sold and the money divided up between people. I assume that your father and aunt got the lion's share of that. Compared to that, would you say that the value of the chess set is a substantial amount or relatively insignificant?

Because the way the story was told, it appears as if the father may have spite-taken the chess set away from his nephew and refused fairly reasonable offers for it.

OP, are we related? Something similar happened with my family including the mysterious appearance of a suspect undated and unsigned document. Obviously it all boils down to money. No one gives a **** about the chess set. So just leave your father alone about it, stop worrying about your aunt et al., let some time pass, and they'll all just crawl back under their rocks. You already know there's nothing you can do to fix things.

Edit - Also one last comment. Their lawyer is obviously going say whatever they want to hear because as far as he knows it's an authentic letter and as such it benefits him financially to help your Aunt and Richard pursue it to whatever extent. Just by simply using the letter to try and intimidate you into caving to their demands he can profit from all the letters that will inevitably be fired back and fourth. I think it's a pretty standard (albeit unscrupulous) legal tactic in situations like this.

The thing is, the authenticity of the letter is pretty irrelevant. Presuming it's real, it only matters if it was written after the date that the will they used to determine the division of the estate was. If the letter was written prior to the will it's meaningless.

I know laws can vary and I'm not a lawyer, but from my own personal experience with a similar situation if any lawsuit were to come of this the father would end up keeping the chess set every time. He is already in possession of it, obtained it in a manner agreed upon by all parties involved and over 2 years has passed without any complaints.

As far as I know, the most recent copy of the signed and dated will supersedes everything.

True, but to be fair I didn't say "here's what I'd do if I were a judge", I said here's what I'd do if I were the son/nephew/cousin/grandson in the situation. If the meemaw wanted the guy to have it, let him have it, just on a human level.

For the love of God please do not give in and give them the chess board for anything other than cash out of their pocket. If the 8k is for anything other than taxes, then I would assume that half would go to your dad and the other half your aunt, so really isn't he just getting his share of the money anyways?

I agree with your dad to keep the chess set out of spite. They had their chance and passed on it and this letter sounds like complete bs. Granted I am not on my deathbed but I don't see why anyone would write down orders for one single piece of an estate on a random hand written letter instead of putting it in the will. Your aunt is 100% making this up.

Is it possible to date the ink on the letter that was found 2 years later? Ask Betty if she's willing to send the letter to a lab for dating the ink and see what her response is.

Her response would be a typical irrational response of a woman.

"How DARE you accuse me of forgery!!!"

Niss owned this thread. Your lawyer is donkin it up

Make sure to send Richard a cheap 5 dollar chess set every year for christmas........for threatening lawsuit.....