Marshall v. Marshall

Vickie Lynn Marshall (defendant), also known as Anna Nicole Smith, filed a Texas probate claim challenging her late husband J. Howard Marshall II's will, which left everything to his son E. Pierce Marshall (plaintiff) and nothing to Vickie despite her claim that J. Howard had promised to provide for her financial security. While that probate matter was pending, Vickie filed for federal bankruptcy, and Pierce filed a claim there alleging Vickie had defamed him; Vickie counterclaimed that Pierce had tortiously interfered with her expected gift by keeping J. Howard away from her. The bankruptcy court awarded Vickie roughly $475 million on her tortious-interference counterclaim, the Texas probate court then found J. Howard's will valid, and Pierce sought review in federal district court, arguing the bankruptcy court lacked jurisdiction over the tort claim; the district court disagreed, but the court of appeals reversed, holding the bankruptcy court lacked subject-matter jurisdiction. The Supreme Court granted certiorari.