Attorneys Suggest Reasons Why Naomi Judd May Have Left Daughters Out Of Her Will

Singer Naomi Judd sadly took her own life in April at the age of 76.

As RadarOnline.com reported on Monday, Naomi did not mention either of her two daughters - Wynonna Judd and Ashley Judd - in her will.

Instead, as Page Six reported, Naomi asked that her husband for over thirty years, Larry Strickland, have “full authority and discretion” over any property that is an asset to her estate “without the approval of any court” or permission from any beneficiary of the estate.

The document continues, “In the event my spouse ceases or fails to serve, then I nominate and appoint my brother-in-law, Reginald Strickland, and Daniel Kris Wiatr as Co-Executors. I direct that no bond shall be required of my Executor.”

Naomi was always thought to be close to both of her daughters, especially Wynonna, as they made up the country music duo known as The Judds. Many fans have pointed out that, just because her daughters haven't been named in the will, doesn't mean that they have been cut out of her reported $25 million dollar fortune.

That being said, at least one legal analyst did admit that Naomi's decision not to name her daughters in her will might have been "a slight."

On Tuesday, Page Six spoke to several legal analysts and family attorneys about Naomi Judd's will.

Attorney Holly Davis, who has experience with several high-profile family law cases, told the outlet that it's not uncommon for people to name their spouses as the executor of their estate. However, Davis did admit that Naomi's omission of her two daughters from the legal document "may seem like a slight."

“It is common to name the spouse as the executor of a will," Davis said. "But leaving out her daughters seems pointed, like a purposeful act on Naomi’s part.”

The Texas-based attorney went on to say, “If the daughters believe that Naomi was unduly influenced in her final months or years by her spouse, such that they claim he influenced the outcome of her will in a fraudulent way, that could result in a claim on behalf of the daughters.”

That being said, Davis also admitted that it's "possible" that Naomi had “already taken care of them in their own trusts, or perhaps prior gifts before passing away, but it is noteworthy.”

Criminal defense attorney Jason Goldman suggested that Naomi Judd was “likely advised” to choose her spouse to be her sole executor because it would possibly be “cleaner and less contentious.”

“Despite having the opposite intent, wills typically become notoriously difficult to interpret when overly specific,” Goldman told Page Six. “When you then factor in the existence of numerous children, a longer, divided will is inevitably a recipe for misinterpretation and disaster.”

Although the New York-based lawyer did not personally work on Naomi’s will when it was created in 2017, Goldman added, “The will itself did not mention Naomi’s hard assets, which may have already been bestowed upon the children through title transfers.”

Goldman also offered that Naomi's husband can “set up an inheritance in line with what he believes Naomi would have wanted for the children” as executor.

Although these are possible explanations as to why Wynonna and Ashley were not mentioned in the will, RadarOnline.com, who first broke the news, provided new updates on Tuesday night saying that Wynonna plans to contest her mother's will.

The website alleged that the will has sparked a bitter battle between the two sisters, with Ashley siding with Larry. Radar claims a source told them that Wynonna is accusing Ashley and Larry of having "conspired against her." Radar also claims that a source close to Ashley told them that Naomi “knew what she was doing” by naming Larry as the sole executor of her estate.

At this time, the outlet reported that Wynonna is speaking with attorneys to formally contest her mother's will. Both sisters have been silent on social media since the news broke on Monday afternoon.