Anne Heche's net worth was only $400K, reveals son Homer Laffoon as James Tupper denied Atlas' guardianship
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: James Tupper, Anne Heche's ex-partner, has been denied legal guardianship of their 13-year-old son and is now likely to lose the battle over the late actress's estate. Tupper's petition to be appointed 'guardian ad litem' of Heche's younger son Atlas, who was in court with his father on Tuesday, was denied by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lee Bogdanoff. According to filings obtained by Daily Mail, Homer Heche Laffoon, Heche's son with ex-husband Coleman Laffoon, estimated the value of his mother's personal property to be around $400,000 total.
He anticipates another $400,000 in annual royalties and residuals. In another setback for the Canadian actor, James Tupper, the judge said he would 'probably' grant Homer Laffoon's motion to be appointed as permanent administrator of his mother's estate.
The decision comes just days after Tupper filed for legal guardianship which would have kept him in charge of protecting Atlas's interests in court and even challenged the judge's decision to appoint Homer as the administrator of Heche's estate. The 57-year-old shook his head upon hearing the ruling while he stood in the court with his hands stuffed into his blue jeans. Tupper's frustrated gesture triggered Judge Bogdanoff who said, "Don't you shake your head at me – and take your hands out of your pockets!", reported Daily Mail.
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The 'Big Little Lies' star replied to the judge, saying, "I don't think his (Atlas) older brother (Homer) is going to look after his interests. He is treating him like an enemy. Their relationship is going to be destroyed forever." Judge Bogdanoff ordered that Atlas to be able to "get into the apartment and get his stuff as quickly as possible", when Christopher Johnson, Tupper's attorney, said that Homer was blocking Atlas's access to the apartment he and his mother shared to pick up his belongings. "The brothers have an equal interest in the estate…I'm not seeing a reason to grant a GAL (guardian ad litem) because he (Atlas) and his brother have the same interest in the estate," the judge said while addressing the decisions.
The judge also asked Tupper why he thinks Homer is 'not qualified' to become the permanent administrator of Heche's estate. "What is the basis to object?" asked the judge, according to Daily Mail. "We are not here to pick the best person. In California you can be an illiterate and be an administrator." He also alarmed Tupper that it would likely be a "waste of time" by making a formal objection to the impending decision to make Homer a permanent administrator. However, the judge still gave time to file an objection to Tupper's attorney until October 20. He scheduled another hearing on November 30.
New documents revealed that Anne Heche worthed only a fraction of the millions she was believed to have. Homer Laffon, 20, Heche's son who she shared with her previous husband, said he estimated the value of all his mother's personal property to be approximately $400,000 in total. He said he expects another $400,000 annually from royalties and residuals. Homer also revealed Heche lived in an apartment and did not own a house.
Even though Homer claimed that his mother had no will when she died at the age of 53, Tupper stated that she appointed him executor of her estate in a 'will' she emailed to him in 2011. Homer insisted that the email is not valid. The battle for Heche's estate was scheduled for its first hearing yesterday, October 11, at Los Angeles Superior Court.