The Delaware Court of Chancery granted summary judgment to former business advisors to Prince in a dispute over control over aspects of his estate

The world-renowned recording artist Prince Rogers Nelson died unexpectedly on April 21, 2016. His six siblings inherited equal interests in his estate, and three of them assigned their combined 50% interest to Prince Legacy, LLC. Prince’s former business advisors, L. Londell McMillan and Charles Spicer, Jr., assisted some of the heirs in the probate process. As compensation for their services, the heirs granted McMillan and Spicer each a 10% interest in Prince Legacy. They also vested broad and exclusive management authority in McMillan and Spicer as Managing Members of the LLC. One of the heirs, Sharon Nelson, came to regret this decision and inserted herself into management decisions—by demanding, for example, that the entire staff of the Paisley Park Museum be replaced. When McMillan and Spicer did not acquiesce to her demands, Sharon led the defendants’ efforts to remove McMillan and Spicer as Managing Members by amending the LLC agreement. McMillan and Spicer, along with one of the heirs, filed this action seeking a declaration that the LLC agreement’s unambiguous terms prohibit the defendants’ attempts to amend it. The defendants moved to dismiss the complaint, and the plaintiffs moved for partial summary judgment. This decision denies the defendants’ motion and grants summary judgment in favor of the plaintiffs.