The Florida house, which was purchased by Richard Williams back in 1981, holds sentimental value for the tennis legend Serena Williams and her sister, Venus Williams. They both grew up there while their father coached them into tennis stardom.
According to legal documents, Richard sold the property to Lakeisha Graham, his ex-wife, for $1 back in 2018, but he claims he was not in a proper state of mind to make such a decision. He further alleges that she forged his signature on the deed transfer papers.
In the latest development in this case, a Los Angeles County judge ruled in favor of Serena’s father, granting his motion to compel his estranged wife to turn over financial records related to the property. This ruling is a significant setback for Lakeisha, as it can potentially unveil evidence of wrongdoing in her acquisition of the house.
Serena Williams’ Stepmom to face another legal battle for taking over their childhood house
Serena Williams’ stepmom, Lakeisha Juanita Williams, has suffered a legal blow in her ongoing battle over the crumbling childhood home she allegedly took from her husband, Richard Williams, aka King Richard. The 44-year-old woman, who was married to Richard in 2010, was accused of taking advantage of her husband’s failing health to gain control of the family’s property in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
Lakeisha’s attorney, Michael Stutman, argued that Richard willingly signed the deed, but the judge dismissed these claims, saying that Richard’s medical records show he was not in a stable mental state at the time of the alleged signing. The judge also said that there is enough evidence to suggest that Lakeisha may have forged Richard’s signature.
The reason why the battle has been hit again is because Serena’s stepmom did not take care of the $1.6 million property and has allowed it to rot. Lakeisha’s neglect of the property has caused the property to lose half of its value. Lakeisha has continuously been borrowing money from various resources to complete the five-year repayment plan for the house, including David Simon, a hard lender.
As the legal battle over the Compton property continues, it is unclear what the future holds for the crumbling childhood home of the Williams sisters. However, the latest court ruling suggests that the truth about the house’s ownership may soon come to light, potentially returning the property to its rightful owner.
That’s not all the legal trouble Lakeisha William might be facing
Except for the legal battle over the house, Lakeisha William is also facing other lawsuits against her. The money she borrowed from David Simon stands unpaid as of now. He still has to be paid $600,000 from Lakeisha with interest and attorney fees. Also, Serena’s stepmom has filed for bankruptcy 13 times to ensure to the court that she is capable of paying the five-year repayment plan, as discussed.
However, now her failure to make payments has caused her court appointment trustee to file a motion against her. Along with that, she has also been pulled over for driving an aging truck in the town four times in one year, which only weakens her case further as she seems to be falling further into legal distress.
(Culled from Essentially Sports with title: Prolonged Battle Ends in Defeat for Serena Williams’ Step-Mother as $1,600,000 Florida House Goes ‘King’ Richard’s Way)
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