Chadwick Boseman, star of Black Panther, died on August 28, 2020 without a will. Recent reporting (see here and here) is that Boseman’s widow has filed for probate of his intestate estate in Los Angeles County, California. The estimated value of Boseman’s estate according to the probate documents is $938,500.
Because Chadwick Boseman died intestate (without a will), California law will govern the distribution of his probate estate, and who has preference to serve as the administrator of his estate.
Under California law, Boseman’s surviving spouse is entitled to inherit his estate. When a California resident dies with a surviving spouse and no descendants, California law provides that the surviving spouse inherits all community property and separate property. Read about California’s laws of intestate succession here.
The surviving spouse also has priority to serve as administrator of the intestate estate under California probate law dictating what persons have priority to serve as the administrator of an estate when the decedent dies without a will. The priority for the appointment of an administrator is set forth in §§8461-8469 of the California Probate Code. Read about California’s order of priority to serve as administrator of Boseman’s estate here.
