ROCKLAND — The Knox County probate judge on Monday denied a request by the estate of L.L.Bean heiress Linda Bean to seal the St. George’s businesswoman’s estate records, including her will, from public view.
Judge Carol Emery ruled that a will is a public document, and said that if Bean had wanted the distribution of her estate to remain private she could have addressed that during her estate planning.
Linda Bean in 2020, in Saco. Bean, a granddaughter of famed outdoors retailer L.L. Bean, died at age 82 on March 23. Robert F. Bukaty/Associated Press, file
Bean died March 23 at the age of 82.
The request was filed May 1 by Attorney Kurt Klebe of Verrill Dana LLP of Portland on behalf of petitioner Veronika Carlson, who is nominated as personal representative for the estate. No specific reasons for the request were offered.
Klebe has also asked that the petition seeking to keep the records from public view be sealed.
Knox County Register of Probate Elaine Hallett said she has never seen a will sealed in her 45 years working at the office.
Bean bought lobster dealerships in the region and owned the Port Clyde General Store and Tenants Harbor General Store. She founded the Perfect Maine Lobster brand in 2007.
“Linda was known for her amazing work ethic, entrepreneurial spirit as well as her pride and dedication to her home state of Maine and L.L.Bean, the company her grandfather founded,” Carlson stated after Bean died in March.
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