For the last seven years of a wealthy car dealership owner's life, he was involved with a woman who was alleged to have used undue influence to make the man amend his will three times in the last few years of his life. According to local news reports the man may have not been in any shape to make important decisions. The last amendment was 15 days before he passed away when the woman wheeled him into a lawyer's office. At that point the man was reported to have been drinking at least a gallon of wine each day.

While the woman was seeking a much larger portion of the man's $37 million estate, the court did uphold one of the amendments made while they were together, leaving her with over one million dollars. During the course of their relationship before the man died he had also purchased gifts for the woman including a diamond ring, a mink coat, and a Jaguar sports car.

The woman claims the she did not assert any undue influence but that they were in reciprocal relationship and both felt a great deal of love for each other. They had met in 1996 after his former mistress passed away. The man was still legally married to a third woman, though they were later legally separated.

When a loved one passes away there can be a tension between the desire to carry out their wishes expressed in a will and a suspicion that those last desires may have been improperly influenced.

Source: Atlanta Journal Constitution "Mistress wins court ruling involving deceased car dealer's estate" Bill Ranking, May 31, 2011