ALASKAN Bush People’s Ami Brown hired a new high-powered lawyer in her $500,000 court battle after her late husband Billy “failed to pay investor profits.”
Robert Maughon, a Tennessee doctor, filed a lawsuit against Billy’s estate, which Ami is in charge of, and the late star’s business Alaskan Wilderness Family Productions for breach of contract on April 27, 2021.
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In court papers obtained by The Sun, Ami filed to replace her current lawyer Dale L. Crandall with Robert M. Schiesser of the same law firm.
According to the attorney’s website, Robert’s experience includes: “Practice in Administrative/Regulatory/Municipal Law, Land Use, Water Rights and Regulation, Real Estate, Civil Litigation in Business, Real Estate, Personal Injury and Employment, Family and Juvenile Law, Estate Planning, and Probate.”
COURT BATTLE
The change in attorneys comes amid the heated court war.
As The Sun previously reported, Robert claimed in his complaint that he entered into a contract with Billy on January 6, 2009, where he invested $20,000.
He claimed Billy, who is an author, agreed to pay him 10 percent of income from the publication and sales of Alaska Wilderness Family Productions derived from books written by Billy.
The payments were allegedly supposed to be for a period of 10 years from the contract date.
Robert claimed in the court papers: “Billy Bryan Brown failed to pay to Plaintiff Robert Micky Maughon the monies called for in the Ten Year contract.”
He then alleged a second contract was made on January 25, 2009, where he invested $10,000 for a “lifetime.”
Robert claimed Billy agreed to pay him 10 percent “of the gross income of Alaska Wilderness Family Productions from the creative works of Billy Bryan Brown, specifically including books, movies, television and documentaries.”
He claimed: “Billy Bryan Brown and [the business] have failed to pay to Plaintiff the monies called for in the Lifetime contract.”
Robert said the amount cannot be known without accounting, but that he believes Billy earned $500,000 per episode of Alaskan Bush People, which ran for 10 shows the most recent season.
He is demanding $500,000 and a trial.
He provided the two alleged contracts in the lawsuit, both seemingly notarized and with Billy’s signature.
AMI FIGHTS BACK
Then, Billy’s estate filed to have the lawsuit dismissed based on “lack of subject matter jurisdiction,” meaning federal court, where the case has been filed, does not have the power or authority to hear or rule on the case.
The lawyer explained how the State court should handle the lawsuit, as the court papers read: “Plaintiff asks this Court to exercise jurisdiction over the property of Brown’s estate, but this property is under the jurisdiction of the state probate court.
“In the Complaint, Plaintiff asks this Court to exercise jurisdiction over the res that is currently under the jurisdiction of the state probate court and was long before Plaintiff filed the Complaint.”
An attorney for Robert fired back by requesting the court not dismiss the lawsuit.
The response read: “I respectfully request that the Court not dismiss the case on the basis of lack of prosecution insofar as the Plaintiff is apt to continue his pursuit of this case.”
A judge has yet to make a ruling on the filings.
‘NO VALID WILL’
As The Sun exclusively reported, Billy’s wife Ami, 57, requested to be the personal representative of his estate, which was approved.
Ami revealed “no valid will has been found.”
His wife listed his assets as $439,000, including $415,000 in real property for four parcels of land.
He had $2,000 in a Wells Fargo bank account.
His furniture and household goods were worth $10,000, and he had $12,000 worth of livestock.
At the time of his death, he owed $27,000 in medical bills, making his estate worth $412,000.
TRAGIC DEATH
Billy died at the age of 68 in February after suffering a fatal seizure.
The probate case also included his official death certificate.
His cause of death was determined as probable cardiac arrest, congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease.
Other conditions that contributed to his death were emphysema and seizures.
Tobacco use also contributed to Billy’s passing.
Billy was the patriarch of the Alaskan Bush People family.
He is survived by Ami, and their children Matt, Bam Bam, Bear, Gabe, Noah, Bird and Rain.
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