GENESEE COUNTY, Michigan -- from www.mlive.com- Ingham County's chief probate judge is threatening to hold a son of one-time porn king Terry M. Shoultes in contempt after another missed court deadline.
Judge George Economy [pictured] has scheduled a July 16 show cause hearing after personal representative Anthony Shoultes failed to settle his father's estate as promised by Tuesday.
Although final distributions have been made from the estate, which included the Velvet Touch adult bookstore chain, it has remained unsettled more than a decade after Terry M. Shoultes' death.
Bankruptcy filings and huge tax debts have contributed to the unusual, drawn-out probate case, and some of Shoultes children now object to the way the estate was divided.
Earlier this month, representatives for the estate told Economy all affairs would be settled by now.
A court official said Thursday, however, that while some paperwork has been filed with the court since that May 13 hearing, there has not been an order entered to complete settlement of the estate or a sworn statement that the administration of the estate is complete.
Terry M. Shoultes, who founded Velvet Touch stores, some of which included book stores, massage parlors and peep shows, became a leading spokesman for the right to publish and sell X-rated magazines and movies in the 1970s and 1980s.
He was arrested dozens of times and filed lawsuits against police and local officials all across the state, including Flint, because of zoning and other disputes.
Velvet Touch stores still operate in Flint and Mt. Morris Township.
Terry M. Shoultes died without a will in December 1998, leaving his six children to divide his assets, which included real estate, inventory and businesses.
The Flint Journal could not reach Anthony Shoultes through estate attorney Neil J. Hirshberg on Thursday.
Hirshberg had said earlier this month that he has been unable to close the estate because an accountant has failed to prepare a final accounting and fiduciary income tax returns.
One of Shoultes' children -- Michael Shoultes of Mundy Township -- said Thursday he will continue to fight the way his father's estate was divided even though the heirs have already divided most assets.
Michael Shoultes said in court this month that parts of the family business have been used to commit crimes since his father's death.
