The adult children of a deceased Alton man are suing their uncle and his wife, saying they took more than $2 million the children were supposed to inherit following their father’s death.
Alison Schmidt Robinson, Leah Renee Schmidt and Jeffrey L. Davis filed a lawsuit Feb. 12 in the Madison County Circuit Court against Robert Schmidt and Coral Schmidt.
The plaintiffs claim that after the death of their father Dennis Schmidt on May 20, 2011, they should have received $2 million, according to his will. However, Robert Schmidt, who was Dennis Schmidt’s brother, convinced Dennis Schmidt to transfer $2 million in assets to him and his wife, Coral Schmidt. Dennis Schmidt agreed to do so in an attempt to hide the assets from his ex-wife, Tammy Schmidt, the complaint says.
The couple promised Dennis Schmidt they would distribute his property to his five children upon his death, the plaintiffs claim. However, they have not yet done so, according to the complaint.
In addition to the money they claim they are owed, the plaintiffs are asking the court to declare Dennis Schmidt’s last will invalid and to set it aside. They are also seeking punitive damages of more than $2 million, plus costs and attorney’s fees and for other relief to which they are entitled.
They are being represented by John Dale Stobbs of Stobbs, Sinclair and Associates in Alton.
Madison County Circuit Court case number 14-L-234.