John Singleton's children caught up in legal conflict

Oscar-nominated Hollywood director John Singleton's seven children are preparing for a legal battle over issues on how his estate -- estimated at $35 million -- will be divided.

The filmmaker passed away on April 28 at the age of 51.

According to TMZ, Singleton only drafted one will, in 1993, at which time he only had one child, daughter Justice, 26, reports dailymail.co.uk.

The late director's mother, Shelia Ward, who is acting as executor of his estate, filed the will -- which earmarked everything for Justice -- in court on Friday.

The arrangement was composed in California, where state law could open the door for Singleton's younger six children -- who were not born at the time the will was composed -- to carve out a piece of the estate, according to the outlet.

Another aspect complicating the transaction is that Ward has estimated the filmmaker's total assets at around $3.8 million, which is about $31 million less than his estimated net worth.

--IANS

sug/pg