Relatives of Gay Man Who Passed Away Seek to Evict His Partner of 55 Years

[left-of-center2012]

Tom Doyle lived with his partner, Bill Cornwell, in a three-story West Village brownstone for 55 years. Over their six decades together, the couple watched the neighborhood transform into a safe haven for the city’s artists and gay population to one of the most expensive locales in the city.
Doyle, however, could find himself homeless. Cornwell died in 2014, and his family is contesting the will, a legal battle that could force Doyle out of the home the men shared.

Cornwell, who passed away at the age of 88, left Doyle everything in his will. There was, though, just one problem: The document was only signed by one person—Doyle’s niece, Sheila McNichols. Without a second signature on the will, it’s legally invalid. That means that claims on the home goes to his next of kin.

Cornwell’s nieces and nephews, thus, argue that they have a legal right to own, operate, and even sell the building, whose appreciated worth is estimated at $7 million.

Cornwell’s relatives have attempted to offer a compromise deal to Doyle: He can live in the building for five years at a rent of $10. They believe that deal should suffice, as they don’t expect Doyle—who is 85—to live much longer than that.

Doyle, though, has refused the offer.

“I’m not so concerned about the money,” Doyle told the Times. “I’m more concerned about a roof over my head for the rest of my life, and I wouldn’t have to be in a nursing home. As long as I am here, I have all the familiar surroundings. It’s almost as if Bill is still here.”

http://www.advocate.com/politics/2016/10/25/relatives-gay-man-who-passed-away-seek-evict-his-partner-55-years

[joeybee12]

1. greedy fuckers. nt

[LostOne4Ever]

2. I want to echo the above post- greedy f*ckers! Nt

[irisblue]

3. yep. greedy

fuckers

[Bohunk68]

5. This used to be the norm.

When my partner died 10 years ago, we had a will, etc, leaving it all to me. His brother and nephews did not contest. Which I was lucky in that, at that time, just before Marriage Equality, they could have contested and I could have been dumped on the street.

[left-of-center2012]

6. "we had a will"

Would not the will have protected you?

I'm thinking couples should also have a Power of Attorney for healthcare decisions.

[Bohunk68]

7. Wills can be contested by the biological presumed heirs.

And there is a long record of that happening and those persons winning. We had everything covered including the POA and healthcare. It STILL could have been contested and been costly.

[closeupready]

8. I'm not sure I'd be prepared to accept the article's claim of invalidity

of the will solely on the basis that it doesn't have a second signature.

And particularly after a lifetime together, Doyle can likely drag this out for a VERY long time, and probably for the rest of his life.

Also, if they don't expect Doyle to live longer than the age of 85, then why the arbitrary time limit of 5 years? Since they seem convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that he will be dead before then, make the time limit as long as Doyle wishes, and it will be of equal sufficiency as their arbitrary "5 years".

They will never agree to that, likely, because of course it IS about the money.