Attorney Sue Birkhead Paternity Test

It became one of the biggest Hollywood stories of the decade. When Playboy model Anna Nicole Smith was found dead of an overdose, shortly after her eldest son also died of an overdose, it meant her young baby could be the heiress to a small fortune. Everyone it seemed stepped out of the woodwork to demand a paternity DNA test – with a string of men claiming to be the girl’s father. Cynics wondered whether the fact the child had been dubbed the ‘billion-dollar baby’ had anything to do with the flurry of paternity tests that ensued.

Paternity Test – Birkhead is the Daddy

But even when a paternity test revealed that Larry Birkhead was in fact the daddy, even though Howard Stern’s name was on the birth certificate, the long custody and court battles haven’t ended there. Birkhead is already facing financial turmoil as a result of his DNA test. His ex-attorney, Debra Opri, has filed a lawsuit against him for not, she claims, paying his legal bills during the paternity dispute. The dispute was finally settled with a paternity DNA test, but it seems the on-going financial wrangling is set to continue.

A Matter of Life and Death

Legal court cases over money are haunting Nicole Smith in life and death. Alive, Anna Nicole Smith spent years in court battling to get her share of her ex-husband’s fortune. She married the millionaire oil tycoon in his eighties. He died shortly afterwards and the battle over his will began. And now, the legacy has been passed on to her baby daughter as a paternity DNA test and disputes plague her life before it’s barely begun.

Seeking Paternity Test

Larry Birkhead is being sued by his attorney, who also sued Anna Nicole Smith when she was seeking a test for her daughter Dannielynn Hope. Howard Stern had also claimed to be the father. A judge in LA ruled in favour of Birkhead after a paternity test put the issue finally to rest.

Probate Proceeding

Now a probate proceeding is taking place to sort out Smith’s assets, debts and taxes. It’s thought that Dannielynn will be the sole beneficiary. She could also inherit the trust of Smith’s late husband Howard Marshall II. His oil legacy is thought to be worth $500 million. As the paternity test revealed Birkhead to be the girl’s father, it’s likely that he will become the guardian of her estate.