Spokane judge bars two children from inheriting $600M estate over exploitation finding

The fortune, accumulated in property over decades, is now at the centre of an extraordinary family inheritance battle over manipulation, disputed documents, and a father whose failing memory made him increasingly dependent on others. The November 2023 death of Spokane property magnate Harlan Douglass left an estimated $600 million.

A bitter legal battle ensued between his three children over his fortune. In a major ruling on Oct.

26, 2026, a Washington judge finds that two of his children financially exploited their father while he was vulnerable with dementia and Alzheimer's. The decision effectively disqualifies them from receiving an inheritance, potentially leaving their older brother in control of a fortune that could exceed $1 billion when disputed assets are included.A family fortune divided by a disputed willAccording to The Spokesman-Review, Harlan's estate included a substantial real estate portfolio valued at approximately $350 million, alongside promissory notes worth another $155 million.