Talk about wrath. On Wednesday, just five days after hearing oral arguments, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed a lower court’s dismissal of all claims brought by descendants of John Steinbeck against the heirs of Elaine Steinbeck, the author’s third wife and widow who died in 2003. The decision allows Elaine Steinbeck’s estate to retain authority over the famous author’s later works, such as Cannery Row, The Pearl, East of Eden, and Travels With Charley.
Wednesday’s Second Circuit decision stems from a 2004 suit brought by Steinbeck’s son Thomas and granddaughter Blake Smyle against Elaine Steinbeck’s estate and the literary agency McIntosh & Otis. The plaintiffs brought claims including breach of fiduciary duty, tortious conduct, and fraud against the estate over multiple contracts pertaining to the copyrights to Steinbeck’s works.
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