HOUSTON -- Famed Houston attorney John O’Quinn left his vast fortune to charity, but Friday a Houston woman will go to court to fight for some of his money.
O’Quinn died in a single-car accident in October of 2009.
According to his will, all of his personal effects should go to the John M. O’Quinn Foundation, which is a non-profit corporation.
Now attorneys for Darla Lexington, a woman who says she was O’Quinn’s common-law wife, claim she is entitled to half of the community estate during the six years they were married.
“They became deeply committed in 2003 and lived as husband and wife from that point forward,” said Lexington’s attorney, Jimmy Williamson.
According to Williamson, the couple became engaged in 2001 at the Houston Grand Opera and had a private marriage ceremony, on a ranch that O’Quinn owned, in 2003.
According to court documents filed by Lexington’s attorney, the couple wore wedding bands and O’Quinn referred to Lexington as his wife.
“It’s absolutely outrageous to claim that Darla Lexington owns no property. She has automobiles, art, furnishings, books -- many, many of which were gifts from John O’Quinn, “ said Williamson.
Dale Jefferson, an attorney for Gerald Treece, the executor of O’Quinn’s will, said while there was a relationship between O’Quinn and Lexington, they were not married.
Jefferson said the first line of O’Quinn’s will reads, “I am John M. O’Quinn.” A couple of sentences letter it reads, “I am unmarried.”
The will was dated and signed in July of 2008. That’s five years after Lexington said they began living as husband and wife.
“The position of the executor has always been that he is duty-bound to follow the will as well as the law and he intends to continue to do so,” said Jefferson.
On Friday, both sides will be in court for what’s expected to be the first of many hearings.
At issue is the sale of five classic cars.
O'Quinn's managers want to sell the five cars, which include a 1938 Talbot Lago that O’Quinn bought with Lexington at a car auction in Pebble Beach, Calif., for more than $3 million, in August of 2005.
The money from the cars would be used to pay off part of what’s estimated to be $90 million in debt.
Lexington claims O’Quinn gave those cars to her as gifts, but attorneys for O’Quinn’s estate said her name does not appear on the titles for any of the vehicles.
On Friday, a judge could decide to stop the sale of the cars or allow it.
