Dive Brief:

• Gore Vidal, who died last year at 86, left all of his assets to Harvard.
• Vidal’s half-sister is challenging the will, saying Vidal was not competent when he changed the will the year before he died.
• The school is staying out of it: It says it is aware of the bequest but is waiting until all litigation is resolved.

Dive Insight:

Vidal suffered from alcoholism and dementia in his later years, according to his nephew, which would make the idea that he was not mentally competent to change his will a possibility. Still, it’s not like he left his estate to his cats. The bequest could be the gift that keeps on giving: The will gives Harvard not only Vidal’s money and property, but also profits from the sales of his books.