Five adopted children of the late J. Don Brock, wealthy longtime CEO of Astec Industries, are contesting his will after being left out.
The will contest was brought by Walter Brock of Soddy Daisy, Darryl Brock of Soddy Daisy, Jennifer Brock of Rossville, Missy Brock Adcock of Soddy Daisy and Krissy Brock Parker of Hixson, who were omitted from the will.
Mr. Brock and his current wife have nine children between them from former marriages.
Those getting bequests in the will were Christie, Devin, Ben Brock of Lookout Mountain and Elizabeth Brock of Harrison. It says after the death of his current wife, Sammye, that the proceeds will be distributed 50 percent to Ben, who is a top official of Astec, and 16 and two-thirds each to the other three.
The will was signed Oct. 1, 2013. Mr. Brock, an ingenious inventor and business leader, battled cancer the last three years of his life.
The matter was moved from Probate Court to Circuit Court, where a jury trial was demanded.
As grounds, the will contest alleges improper execution or attestation, lack of testamentary capacity, and fraud or undue influence.
The five children left out were adopted by Mr. Brock and Lynne Williams Brock in 1983, joining two other adopted children, Ben and Elizabeth. J. Don Brock and Lynne Williams Brock divorced in 1996 after 31 years of marriage. Mr. Brock gained custody of four of the minor children.
He married Sammye M. Sprouse, who had been his receptionist and administrative assistant since 1974, on July 4, 1998.
The will contest says the Brock divorce had alleged a long affair between Mr. Brock and Ms. Sprouse.
It says his second wife often signed his name on documents and says at the time the will was signed he was undergoing aggressive treatment for cancer.
The will contest says the children who were left in the will had a confidential relationship with Mr. Brock and used their influence over him.
Those left out said they only learned that they had been disinherited when they were mailed a copy of the will after their father's death on March 10 at the age of 76.
They said they had been told by Mr. Brock that they would be provided for when he died.
Mr. Brock formerly owned the Seretean mansion on Missionary Ridge, then he built an elaborate home on the east brow of Lookout Mountain.