Anne Heche's estate will be overseen by her eldest son Homer Laffoon, a judge has ruled.
On Nov. 30, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lee Bogdanoff named the 20-year-old as the permanent special administrator of his late mother's estate, effectively denying a challenge for control from Heche's ex, James Tupper. According to court documents obtained by E! News Dec. 1, the court found that Laffoon, who is the son of Heche and her ex-husband Coleman Laffoon, provided "sufficient evidence" to support his petition.
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Another hearing has been scheduled for March 15, 2023, with bond set at $800,000 in the meantime to protect the interests of heirs and creditors.
"We believe the court reached the correct result, both legally and equitably, and are glad to have this phase of the process behind us," Bryan L. Phipps, an attorney for Homer, said in a statement to E! News after the ruling. "With Mr. Tupper's allegations and objections now resolved, we are hopeful the administration of the Estate can proceed without unnecessary complication."
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Heche passed away on Aug. 11 at the age of 53 due to injuries she sustained from a car crash six days prior.
In September, Laffoon submitted a legal request to take charge of the "Another World" star's estate on the grounds that she did not create a will before her death.
However, Tupper—who co-starred with Heche on "Men in Tree" and is dad to her 13-year-old son Atlas Tupper—soon filed an objection to Homers petition, arguing in docs obtained by E! News that Heche did in fact have a will naming him as the executor of her estate. Furthermore, the "Big Little Lies" star alleged in his filing that Laffoon was estranged from the actress at the time of her death, contending he is not fit to be in charge of the estate.
At the time, Homer's attorney told E! News their team would "prefer to see the estate administration play out in court," adding that "our legal documents speak for themselves."
E! News reached out to James Tupper's lawyer for comment on the latest ruling but has not heard back.
