The biological children of outlaw country legend David Allan Coe have filed legal claims against his estate, seeking hundreds of thousands of dollars in child and spousal support they say he never paid during his lifetime.
Coe died in April 2026 at the age of 86, leaving behind a complicated personal legacy that included estrangement from many of his children. He had been married six times, and eight children are listed as surviving descendants in estate documents, alongside his wife of 16 years, Kimberly Coe. Now, in a series of filings submitted to Ohio’s Hamilton County Probate Court in June and July of 2026, those children are pursuing financial obligations they describe as long overdue.
The Claims and the Amounts at Stake
Among the filings, Coe’s ex-wife Jody Lynn Coe submitted a claim stating he owed $540,820.72 in delinquent child support as of March 2017, with interest accruing at 12 percent per year — a figure that would exceed $1 million by 2026. In a separate claim, Jody Lynn also lists $194,882.10 in unpaid spousal support as of the same date, also subject to the 12 percent annual interest rate.
In a group statement posted to Facebook, the Coe children said their goal is to prioritize “transparency and family honor.” Acknowledging that some people have “attacked us for holding him accountable to the family obligation he walked away from during his life,” the statement frames the legal action as correcting a longstanding injustice. “Thank you for helping us stand for what is right and ensuring people get what is legally due to them,” the statement reads. The family also posted instructions and a timeline for anyone else in the music industry with unsettled financial claims against Coe to come forward.
A Will That Excluded His Children
Adding another layer to an already fraught family situation, Coe’s last will and testament — signed November 25, 2025 — explicitly cut out all of his children. The document states: “I have intentionally not provided for any of my children or their heirs in this Last Will & Testament, and their omission is not the result of accident or oversight.” His daughter Tanya Montana Coe confirmed via social media that Coe left “everything” to Kimberly, including all personal property — household furnishings, art objects, jewelry, automobiles, and other personal belongings.
The probate proceedings in Hamilton County will determine how the estate’s obligations are ultimately resolved, and whether the children’s claims take legal precedence over the terms of the will.
